ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Bovine TB

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many cattle have been infected with bovine TB in each of the last three years in (a) Devon, (b) Cornwall, (c) Somerset and (d) Dorset; and how many cattle were destroyed during the foot and mouth epidemic in each county.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 21 June 2005
	If an animal reacts positively to the skin test it is generally considered to have bovine TB. However, it is not always possible to confirm infection in any particular animal by post-mortem examination at the slaughterhouse, or by culturing Mycobacterium bovis in the laboratory. This is because in the early stages of the disease, it is not always possible to see lesions with the naked eye, and, due to the fastidious nature of the organism, it is not possible to culture from samples in every case.
	Therefore, the number of cattle slaughtered under bovine TB control measures in the four counties requested in the last three years is provided as follows:
	
		
			  2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 Devon 3,022 3,657 4,674 
			 Cornwall 2,917 2,414 2,351 
			 Somerset 9,07 1,033 928 
			 Dorset 3,83 399 408 
		
	
	The number of cattle destroyed as a result of foot and mouth in each of the counties is as follows:
	
		
			  
		
		
			 Devon 3,267 
			 Cornwall 3,310 
			 Somerset 992 
			 Dorset 445 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.The number of cattle slaughtered under bovine TB control measures comprises the number of reactors to the TB test and those cattle that have been in direct contact.
	2.TB data downloaded from the State Veterinary Service database on 19 May 2005.
	3.All data are provisional and subject to change as more data become available.

Bovine TB

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many farms in the South West have been affected by bovine TB in each of the last three years; how many cattle in England have been slaughtered due to bovine TB in each year; how much was paid by the Government to farmers in (a) Devon, (b) Cornwall, (c) Somerset and (d) Dorset in compensation for bovine TB in each of the last three years; what steps she has taken to eradicate TB in cattle; and what steps she is proposing to take.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 22 June 2005
	The information requested is as follows:
	Number of farms affected by TB and the cattle slaughtered
	The number of holdings affected by bovine TB breakdowns in each of the last three years, as well as the number of cattle slaughtered under TB control measures in England between 2001 and 2004 are detailed in the following tables.
	
		Table 1: Number of holdings affected by TB incident by county
		
			  Number of farm holdings Number of herds under movement restrictions(22) 
			 County 2002 2003 2004 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 Devon 630 856 915 648 912 981 
			 Cornwall 540 619 589 560 680 638 
			 Somerset 203 279 253 213 294 262 
			 Dorset 102 131 107 105 140 115 
		
	
	(22)Data downloaded from the State Veterinary Service database on 22 June 2005. All data provisional and subject to change as more data become available.
	
		Table 2: Cattle slaughtered in England
		
			 Year(23) Cattle slaughtered(24) 
		
		
			 2001(25) 4,284 
			 2002(25) 17,851 
			 2003 17,096 
			 2004 16,955 
		
	
	(23)TB Reactors plus Direct Contacts
	(24)Data downloaded from State Veterinary Service database on 19 May 2005. All data provisional and subject to change as more data become available.
	(25)In 2001, the TB testing and control programme was largely suspended due to the foot and mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak. When testing resumed in 2002, resources were concentrated on herds with overdue TB tests which would have had a longer period in which to contract the disease. Also the proportion of high risk herds tested immediately after the FMD outbreak was greater than that prior to the outbreak. As a result, data for 2001 and 2002 are not comparable with other years.
	Compensation
	The amount of compensation for Bovine TB paid to farmers in the four counties is not collected/available in the format requested, and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	The amount of compensation paid in Great Britain over the last three years is detailed in the following table.
	
		Table 3: Compensation paid in Great Britain -- £ million
		
			 Financial year Expenditure 
		
		
			 2001–02 9.2 
			 2002–03 31.9 
			 2003–04 34.4 
			 2004–05 (26)35.0 
		
	
	(26)Forecast.
	Action to control TB
	The Government are committed to finding the best way to combat bovine TB, backed by available scientific evidence and taking account of all interested parties, including the taxpayer. We published our 10-year strategy for the control of bovine TB in March. This places emphasis on keeping clean areas clean and achieving a sustained and steady reduction of TB in hotspot areas. Specific disease control policies will be tailored to reflect the control of bovine TB in March. This places emphasis on keeping clean areas clean and achieving a sustained and steady reduction of TB in hotspot areas. Specific disease control policies will be tailored to reflect the regional variation in disease and risk, and adjusted to make best use of emerging scientific findings.
	We are prepared to cull badgers to control bovine TB if evidence shows it is cost-effective, practicable and sustainable. The strategic framework sets out a process for decision-making on badger culling. However, vaccination for cattle or badgers is still a long-term goal and we have recently approved the first field trial of a TB vaccine for badgers and a new study by the Veterinary Laboratories Agency to prepare for similar field trials in cattle.

British Waterways (Surplus Land)

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she has taken to ensure that British Waterways make available surplus land at less than market value for development of affordable housing.

Jim Knight: The Department looks to British Waterways to provide affordable housing in its developments as part of its commitment to corporate social responsibility. The amount is determined by local planning requirements and individual circumstances. As at 31 March 2005, 1,998 units of social housing are planned to be built on BW development sites.

Consultants

Janet Dean: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to issue guidance on effective commissioning for those in the public and voluntary sectors who are commissioning work from external consultants.

Jim Knight: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, my hon. Friend the Member for Wentworth (John Healey) on 28 June 2005, Official Report, column 1286W.

Departmental Relocation

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many of her Department's posts (a) have been relocated and (b) are under consideration for relocation from London to the deprived areas of the South East.

Jim Knight: The Department is implementing the Lyons Review recommendations to relocate 390 posts out of London and the South East by 2010. This will not exclude consideration of relocating some posts to relatively deprived areas in the South East. So far, the Department has not identified any posts suitable for transfer to deprived areas in the South East.

Emissions Trading Scheme

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will estimate the level of penalties that will have been collected after year one of the EU emissions trading scheme.

Elliot Morley: All operators of installations that do not surrender sufficient allowances to cover their annual emissions will be liable to a penalty. In the first phase of the scheme (2005–07), the penalty will be €40 for each tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent emitted by that installation for which the operator has not surrendered allowances. The penalty will rise to €100 per tonne for the second phase. The extent of the penalties for year one of the scheme will only be known after 20 April 2006, once reconciliation has taken place. We expect all installations will comply with the regulations.

Fish Merchants (Buyer's Licences)

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs under what circumstances a buyer's licence can be withdrawn from a UK fish merchant.

Ben Bradshaw: Under the terms of the Registration of Fish Buyers and Sellers and Designation of Fish Auction Sites Regulations 2005, the Secretary of State may suspend the registration of a buyer where the registered buyer has not:
	complied with a condition of registration; or
	conducted his business in a manner that complies with the requirements of Article 9 of Council Regulation 2847/93 (the Control Regulation), Article 22 of Council Regulation 2371/2002 (the Common Fisheries Policy) in regard to the submission of sales notes.
	In addition, a court may revoke the registration of a buyer either totally or for a specified period upon conviction for the following offences:
	where a person knowingly or recklessly makes a false statement for the purposes of an application for registration;
	where a registered fish buyer fails to comply with a condition of his registration;
	where a registered fish buyer fails to keep, or to produce on request by a British sea fishery officer, the necessary sales records.

Fly Tipping

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many reported incidents of fly-tipping there were in each (a) local authority and (b) region in the last period for which figures are available; and what costs were incurred in removing fly-tipped waste.

Ben Bradshaw: The number of reported incidents of fly-tipping and the cost of clearance and disposal reported between April 2004 and March 2005 are given by (a) waste collection authority and (b) region in tables made available in the Library of the House.
	These data are from the Flycapture database, which records fly-tipping incidents dealt with by waste collection authorities and the Environment Agency. The figures are likely to be an underestimate and should increase as authorities improve their data collection and reporting performance.

Gangmasters

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects the Gangmasters Licensing Authority to commence operation.

Jim Knight: The Gangmasters Licensing Authority commenced operation on 1 April 2005. One of the Authority's first tasks will be to establish the conditions to be attached to a licence and the operational aspects of the licensing scheme. These will be set out in rules orders and the Authority will be consulting on these as a matter of urgency.

Gangmasters

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to extend the provisions of the Gangmasters (Licensing) Act 2004 to other sectors and industries.

Jim Knight: The Gangmasters (Licensing) Act 2004 applies to gangmasters operating in the agricultural, shellfish gathering and associated food/fish processing and packaging sectors. I have no plans to extend the scope of the Act to other sectors and industries.

Gangmasters

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her latest assessment is of the number of (a) legally operational and (b) illegal gangmaster organisations in the UK.

Jim Knight: Based on a DEFRA commissioned study, the Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) expects to issue 1,000 licences to gangmaster organisations operating legitimately in the agricultural, shellfish gathering and associated food and fish processing and packaging sectors in the UK. The GLA anticipates inviting licence applications from spring 2006.
	By its very nature, it is very difficult to quantify illegal gangmaster activity. Once the licensing scheme is operational, the GLA's compliance role and enforcement activities undertaken on behalf of DEFRA will generate more accurate data on the numbers of gangmasters engaged in illegal business practices.

Landfill Sites

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many (a) complaints, (b) court actions and (c) fines against landfill sites for problems related to (i) odours, (ii) water pollutions, (iii) air pollution and (iv) human health impact there were in each year since May 1997, broken down by region.

Ben Bradshaw: I refer the hon. Member to the answergiven on 7 September 2004, Official Report, column 944W which outline the limitations when producing this data. The following sets of data update the figures previously provided.
	Complaints
	Tables 1, 2 and 3 give information of incidents that were reported to the Environment Agency and were recorded on the National Incident Recording System (NIRS). It is important to note that NIRS records incidents and not complaints.
	
		Table 1: Incidents where the pollutant was recorded as landfill odour (categories 1–3)
		
			 Region July 2004 to April 2005 
		
		
			 Anglian 51 
			 Midlands 32 
			 North East 42 
			 North West 55 
			 Southern 29 
			 South West 29 
			 Thames 55 
			 EA Wales 50 
		
	
	
		Table 2: Incidents which had impact to water (categories 1–3)
		
			 Region July 2004 to April 2005 
		
		
			 Anglian 1 
			 Midlands 4 
			 North East 9 
			 North West 2 
			 Southern 2 
			 South west 5 
			 Thames 2 
			 EA Wales 3 
		
	
	
		Table 3: Incidents which had impact to air (categories 1–3)
		
			 Region July 2004 to April 2005 
		
		
			 Anglian 45 
			 Midlands 42 
			 North East 58 
			 North West 81 
			 Southern 21 
			 South West 21 
			 Thames 57 
			 EA Wales 24 
		
	
	The NIRS system has no designated means of recording incidents in terms of their impact on human health. Specific and accurate data concerning complaints against landfill sites for problems related to human health can not therefore be derived from NIRS.
	Court actions and fines
	Information concerning (b) court actions and (c) fines are kept separately, on the National Enforcement Database. The following prosecutions were taken between 1 July 2004 and 31 May 2004.
	
		Updated figures 1 July 2004 to 31 May 2005 -- WRA 1991 s.85(1)
		
			  Cases Fines 
		
		
			 Anglian — — 
			 Midlands — — 
			 NE — — 
			 NW — — 
			 Southern — — 
			 SW 1 1 
			 Thames — — 
			 Wales — — 
		
	
	
		EPA 1990 s.33(1)(c)
		
			  Cases Fines 
		
		
			 Anglian — — 
			 Midlands 2 2 
			 NE — — 
			 NW — — 
			 Southern — — 
			 SW — — 
			 Thames — — 
			 Wales — — 
		
	
	
		EPA 1990 s.33(6)
		
			  Cases Fines 
		
		
			 Anglian — — 
			 Midlands 2 2 
			 NE — — 
			 NW 1 1 
			 Southern — — 
			 SW — — 
			 Thames — — 
			 Wales — —

Llancloudy

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will instruct her officials to meet the hon. Member for Hereford and residents and landowners in Llancloudy in Hereford constituency before a decision is made on the route for lorries from the farm in Llancloudy to the main road; and if she will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 20 June 2005
	The hon. Member should be aware that there is ongoing litigation between the current owners and occupiers Mrs. Georgina Hawkins and Mr. Kevin Feakins and the Rural Payments Agency and Defra in connection with (1) sums owed by Mr. Feakins to the RPA in respect of the sheep meat clawback scheme; and (2) Defra's activities on the farm during the 2001 foot and mouth disease outbreak.
	My officials are fully aware of the concerns of local residents and they have been in correspondence with the Llancloudy Residents Association over the proposals for the removal of farmyard manure and other seized materials from Hill Farm Llancloudy. The current situation is that Defra has agreed to remove these seized materials and to reinstate the land. However, in order to fulfil this undertaking the Department needs to agree a licence with Mr. Feakins and Mrs. Hawkins, as the owners and occupiers of the land, in order to gain access to the land. This licence will also include detailed method statements for the operations required. Defra's preferred access route is along the main farm access drive, a route which would minimise the impact on the majority of Llancloudy residents—this route has not been agreed by Mr. Feakins and Mrs. Hawkins.
	Given the failure to agree access routes, my officials do not believe that an on-site meeting would be helpful, since until the exact access route is agreed, contractors cannot prepare the detailed working protocols and risk assessments that will be required and officials would not be able to address the concerns of residents. However given the understandable concerns of residents, my officials would be pleased to meet with the hon. Member in London, together with a representative of the Llancloudy Residents Association in London to explain the current situation and to outline the steps the Department has taken to agree access and will take to ensure that the impact on residents will be minimised.

Munitions/Fireworks Production

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research she has commissioned on the duration of damage to (a) soil and (b) ground water on land that was used for (i) munitions production and (ii) fireworks production; and if she will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The Environment Agency has published two documents regarding the potential for contamination of land at former explosives manufacturing sites (including fireworks). Both deal with the characteristics of the potential contaminants at such sites. This includes their solubility and biodegradability which can be used to indicate the likelihood of them persisting at the site and the methods required to investigate and remediate such contamination.
	These reports are:
	R&D Technical Report P5–042/TR/03—Land Contamination: Technical Guidance on Special Sites: Explosives Manufacturing & Processing Sites.
	Project Record P5–036/01—Collation of Toxicological Data and Development of Guideline Values for Explosive Substances, Collation of Physicochemical data.
	This second document is the first step in the production of Contaminated Land Exposure Assessment (CLEA) Soil Guideline Values.
	The agency has also produced general guidance on the assessment of natural attenuation (the dispersion or breakdown) of contaminants in groundwater:
	R&D Publication 95—Guidance on the Assessment and Monitoring of Natural Attenuation of Contaminants in Groundwater.
	Defra has two publications in its Industry Profiles" series on munitions and firework production. This series provides information on the processes, materials and waste associated with individual industries, with respect to land contamination:
	Chemical Works: explosives, propellents and pyrotechnics manufacturing works;
	Engineering Works: mechanical engineering and ordnance works.

Rats

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the rat population of England and Wales in (a) 1997 and (b) 2005.

Jim Knight: The most recent estimate of the Norway rat population in England was a minimum of 5,240,000 individuals. This figure was established by a review that assessed the population and conservation status of all British mammals, published in 1995. The only recent objective national survey of rat presence is within the English House Condition Survey (EHCS). The 1996 survey revealed that 0.23 per cent. of properties had rats indoors and 1.6 per cent. had rats present outside. A report on the rodent element of the 2001 EHCS will be published this summer.

Rural Housing Commission

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the (a) timetable for the establishment, (b) remit and (c) membership will be of the proposed Rural Housing Commission.

Jim Knight: This is a high priority for the Government. I am working closely with Ministerial colleagues to take this plan forward and hope to make an announcement shortly.

Single Payment System

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what criteria will be used in deciding whether to undertake a Single Payment System inspection.

Jim Knight: The criteria for selection for inspection depends on whether the inspection relates to scheme eligibility or to cross-compliance. Where inspections relate to eligibility criteria, the relevant regulation requires that member states must make a random selection from the population of applicants, and a risk-based selection to highlight cases of irregularity. The latter must take account of:
	the amount of aid involved;
	the number of agricultural parcels and the area for which aid is requested;
	changes from the previous year;
	the findings of checks made in past years;
	for farmers who had no hectares in the single payment Scheme reference period, compliance with the condition that at least 50 per cent. of the agricultural activity maintained in the reference period expressed in livestock units has been maintained; and
	other factors to be defined by the member states.
	Where inspections relate to cross-compliance conditions, the relevant regulation requires that member states select all inspections on the basis of a risk analysis appropriate to the cross compliance requirements and standards or to the existing legislation.

Tyres

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many tyres were (a) purchased, (b) reused and (c) disposed of by (i) landfill, (ii) incineration, (iii) illegal fly-tipping and (iv) other means in each year since 2001.

Ben Bradshaw: Figures from tyre manufacturers and importers show replacement tyre sales of around 28 million car and truck units in 2003. It is estimated a further 15 million units were introduced on newly registered vehicles.
	The information requested, is set out in the following table, and is based on information supplied to the Used Tyre Working Group (UTWG). Figures from the UTWG can be found on www.tyredisposal.co.uk. Full 2004 figures are not yet available.
	
		
			  2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 Used tyre arisings (tonnes) 481,000 447,000 444,000 
			 Re-use 118,000 105,000 105,000 
			 Materials recovery 107,000 105,000 160,000 
			 Energy recovery 40,000 48,000 78,000 
			 Engineering uses 16,000 29,000 15,000 
			 Exports 10,000 13,000 13,000 
			 Landfill 144,000 99,000 85,000 
			 Other 47,000 47,000 -7,000 
		
	
	The ban on the landfill of whole tyres at all existing hazardous waste landfill sites and all new landfill sites on 16 July 2003 passed without significant effect on tyre collection or recovery capacity. The next key date will be 16 July 2006 when shredded tyres will be banned from landfilling. Whole tyres can continue to be used for landfill engineering for both hazardous and non-hazardous landfills. The numbers of tyres disposed to landfill is reducing, and 2004 returns from members of the Tyre Recovery Association, which represents tyre collectors and reprocessors and accounts for a significant proportion of overall used tyre activity, indicate that landfill disposal reduced sharply in 2004.
	There are no figures kept on the number of tyres that are flytipped.

Waste Recycling

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many recycling centres there are in each London borough.

Ben Bradshaw: The number of recycling centres in each London borough is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham 60 
			 Barnet 75 
			 Bexley 84 
			 Brent 113 
			 Bromley 50 
			 Camden 153 
			 Corporation of London 14 
			 Croydon 35 
			 Ealing 55 
			 Enfield 350 
			 Greenwich 66 
			 Hackney 73 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 85 
			 Haringey 170 
			 Harrow 38 
			 Havering 24 
			 Hillingdon 70 
			 Hounslow 52 
			 Islington 157 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 233 
			 Kingston-upon-Thames 32 
			 Lambeth 20 
			 Lewisham 48 
			 Merton 29 
			 Newham 126 
			 Redbridge 69 
			 Richmond upon Thames 123 
			 Southwark 252 
			 Sutton 197 
			 Tower Hamlets 320 
			 Waltham Forest 231 
			 Wandsworth 430 
			 Westminster 221 
			 Total 4,055

White-tailed Sea Eagle

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on plans to release white tailed sea eagles in the UK; and what assessment has been made of the likely impact of their releases on (a) other wildlife and (b) livestock.

Jim Knight: Plans to release white-tailed eagles in the UK English Nature is considering plans to reintroduce white-tailed eagles for the following reasons:
	The white-tailed eagle is a red listed bird of conservation concern in the UK and has unfavourable conservation status in Europe.
	Much needs to be done to restore it to its former global status, including conservation action in the UK
	White-tailed eagles are still absent from much of their former range which encompassed all of Europe including the length of Britain, wherever there was suitable habitat, particularly coastal and freshwater wetlands.
	Conservation management applied to other species of raptors has demonstrated that population increase and range expansion can be achieved most rapidly by active intervention.
	What assessment has been made of the likely impact of their releases on (a) other wildlife and (b) livestock.
	The species is considered to be a potentially suitable candidate for a reintroduction programme. However unless a detailed feasibility study demonstrates the likely success of any proposed reintroduction then it will not take place. The feasibility study must include an assessment against IUCN (The World Conservation Union) criteria for species reintroductions.
	Plans are at such an early stage that no feasibility study has been completed. This study will need to consider a range of biological and social-economic requirements, including the impact on other wildlife and livestock. Note the following extracts from the IUCN reintroduction criteria:
	The species, if any, that has filled the void created by the loss of the species concerned, should be determined; an understanding of the effect the re-introduced species will have on the ecosystem is important for ascertaining the success of the re-introduced population.
	Socio-economic studies should be made to assess impacts, costs and benefits of the re-introduction programme to local human populations.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Casinos

Don Foster: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1) when he intends to implement a change in the use class of casinos; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what consultation his Department has undertaken since 1 November 2004 on the use class of casinos; which organisations were consulted; on what dates that consultation occurred; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: On 1 November 2004, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport announced that the Government were minded to make a change in the Use Classes Order in respect of casinos.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister commissioned consultants to look into the case for changes to the Use Classes Order and the implications of such a change. We are considering the consultants report. No change will be made without full public consultation.

Computer Crime

Paul Burstow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many cases of computer (a) hacking, (b) fraud and (c) theft his Department recorded in each year since 2001–02; and for each year, on how many occasions computer systems have been illegally accessed by computer hackers (i) within and (ii) outside his Department.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was established on 29 May 2002. For ODPM-owned systems instances of hacking, fraud, theft and illegal access recorded in each complete year since that date are as follows:
	
		
			  Hacking Fraud Theft Illegal access 
		
		
			 2002–03 0 0 2 0 
			 2003–04 0 0 2 0 
			 2004–05 0 0 2 0

Employees (Assaults)

Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the number of local authority employees who have been assaulted at work in each London borough in each year since 1997.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The information requested is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

EU Funding (West Midlands)

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether appraisals of priority projects on the reserve list for Objective 2 funding in the West Midlands are continuing following the extraordinary meeting of the West Midlands Objective 2 Programme Monitoring Committee held on 18 May.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 28 June 2005
	At the Extraordinary meeting of the West Midlands Objective 2 Programme Monitoring Committee on 18 May it was agreed that:
	The appraisal of priority projects on the reserve list requiring Advantage West Midlands (the Regional Development Agency) match funding is suspended until a full application is submitted to and accepted by AWM. These projects will then be subject to a joint appraisal approach.
	Programme resource will not be committed to priority projects on the reserve list until the MG Rover package of projects has been approved and then subject to resource availability, the confirmation of all match funding and necessary planning approvals being in place.
	The Programme Monitoring Committee will monitor the situation, on the basis of progress reports supplied by the European secretariat in the Government Office for the West Midlands.

Fire Brigade

Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the average response time was to an emergency call to the fire brigade in each London borough in each year since 1997.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The available information has been supplied by the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA). This shows the average response time for emergency calls in each London borough averaged over the period April 1999-September 2003.
	
		Average time for first appliance to arrive at an incident
		
			 Borough Minutes and seconds 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham 6:13 
			 Barnet 6:28 
			 Bexley 6:22 
			 Brent 5:56 
			 Bromley 6:36 
			 Camden 4:43 
			 City 4:38 
			 Croydon 5:59 
			 Baling 5:45 
			 Enfield 6:31 
			 Greenwich 5:31 
			 Hackney 4:59 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 5:10 
			 Haringey 5:51 
			 Harrow 6:37 
			 Havering 6:47 
			 Hillingdon 6:39 
			 Hounslow 6:37 
			 Islington 4:59 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 4:49 
			 Kingston upon Thames 6:13 
			 Lambeth 5:07 
			 Lewisham 5:00 
			 Merton 5:53 
			 Newham 5:33 
			 Redbridge 6:03 
			 Richmond upon Thames 6:38 
			 Southwark 4:57 
			 Sutton 6:25 
			 Tower Hamlets 4:31 
			 Waltham Forest 5:29 
			 Wandsworth 5:30 
			 Westminster 4:47 
		
	
	Source:
	LFEPA Incident Recording Information System (IRIS) Aril 1999 to September 2003

Fire Brigade

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many fire crews have trained for Lancashire fire brigade in each of the last three years; and how many are on the waiting list for training.

Jim Fitzpatrick: This is a matter for the local fire and rescue service. The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Housing

Jim Cousins: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he expects the licensing scheme for houses in multiple occupation to come into force; and when he expects to announce his decisions on the outcome of the consultation on licensing in the private sector.

Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is proposing that the licensing scheme for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) comes into force in October 2005.
	Decisions on the key issues arising from the consultation exercise on HMO licensing were announced by my right hon. Friend, the former Minister for Housing and Planning on 6 April. Decisions on the remaining issues will be announced before the summer recess.

Housing

Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many, and what proportion of, (a) privately rented and (b) privately owned homes in each English region do not meet the Decent Homes Standard; and what steps his Department is taking to improve these homes.

Yvette Cooper: The English House Condition Survey 2001: Regional Report (ODPM, 2003) includes details of the numbers of private sector homes that did not meet the decent homes standard in 2001. Separate data are not available for privately rented and privately owned homes. The report is available on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister website.
	We are fully committed to improving the quality of private sector housing stock by encouraging, through financial support and guidance, the development of innovative housing renewal policies by local authorities through the powers made available to them by the Regulatory Reform Order (Housing Assistance) (England and Wales) Order 2002. The Housing Act 2004 contains measures to tackle private sector non-decency through the implementation of the new housing health and safety ratings system, and licensing on homes in multiple occupancy.

Housing

Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the total expenditure on the Starter Homes Initiative was; and how many people were helped to buy a home in each year of its operation.

Yvette Cooper: The total expenditure on the Starter Home Initiative was the original budget of £250 million, plus £53 million of extra funding from the ADP in March 2004 to help those key workers whose purchases were in the pipeline when SHI finished.
	The numbers of key workers who were helped to buy a home in each year of operation:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 2001–02 107 
			 2002–03 2,616 
			 2003–04 5,998 
			 2004–05 1,295 
		
	
	There were also 306 cases where a second key worker was assisted in the same household.

Housing

Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the total expenditure on the Key Worker Living scheme has been in each year since its inception; how many key workers have benefited from the scheme in each year; and what resources have been allocated to the scheme for future years.

Yvette Cooper: Key Worker Living (KWL) began in April 2004. In 2004–05 expenditure was £265 million and 4,015 key workers benefited from the scheme. £374 million has been allocated for 2005–06 which has so far helped another 930 key workers since April 2005 and £86 million is allocated for 2006–07. The KWL target is to help 16,348 key workers by March 7. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is currently awaiting recommendations from regional housing boards on future funding levels for key workers.

Housing

Lynne Jones: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many homes available for rent through (a) Birmingham city council and (b) registered social landlords in Birmingham have been (i) demolished and (ii) built in each of the last 10 years.

Yvette Cooper: The information is as follows.
	
		
			   Birmingham city council Registered social landlords(27) 
			  Demolitions(28) New Build/Acquisition(29) New Build 
		
		
			 1996–97 (30)— 32 573 
			 1997–98 (30)— 32 849 
			 1998–99 (30)— 43 814 
			 1999–2000 (30)— 58 497 
			 2000–01 694 16 481 
			 2001–02 1,239 36 455 
			 2002–03 1,310 70 532 
			 2003–04 857 14 788 
			 2004–05(31) 1,337 (30)— (30)— 
		
	
	(27)RSL new build completions data taken from Birmingham city council website Development in Birmingham 2003–04".
	(28)Local authority demolitions data taken from city council's business plan statistical appendix—ODPM database.
	(29)New build/acquisition local authority data provided by Birmingham city council housing department
	(30)No data
	(31)2004–05 demolition data taken from the draft HRA business plan, and is the planned demolitions figure, not outturn
	The Housing Corporation, the funding and regulatory body for registered social landlords (RSLs) sponsored by the Office for the Deputy Prime Minister, only collects demolition data on a national level and therefore it is not possible to provide the information requested for RSL demolitions in the Birmingham area.

Housing

Vincent Cable: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what eligibility criteria will be used to determine access to the Homebuy Joint Shared Equity Loans with Mortgage Lenders scheme.

Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is currently consulting on the details of our proposals for a range of new HomeBuy products, as set out in the consultation document 'HomeBuy—Expanding the Opportunity to Own' (a copy of which is available from the Library of the House).
	Under our proposals the eligibility criteria for the public/private funded equity loans variant of HomeBuy will remain the same as under our proposals for Open Market HomeBuy. We will receive advice for Regional Housing Boards on eligibility. Subject to the outcome of the consultation exercise the programme will, as at present, be focussed on assisting key public sector workers such as teachers, nurses and police officers. Some social tenants and those on housing registers (iethose waiting for a council or housing association home to rent) may also be eligible.

Laptop Computers

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many laptop computers have been used by (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials in his Department in each year since 1995; how many have been (i) lost and (ii) stolen in that period; what the cost was of the use of laptops in that period; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The number of laptop computers used by Ministers and special advisers since the creation of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister on 29 May 2002 is as follows:
	
		Number
		
			  Ministers Special advisers 
		
		
			 2002 2 2 
			 2003 2 2 
			 2004 2 2 
			 2005 2 2 
		
	
	The information requested on the use of laptop computers by officials, and associated costs, in each year since that date is not available centrally in the form requested, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Departmental records show the following numbers of lost or stolen laptop computers across the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister since 29 May 2002:
	
		
			  Lost Stolen 
			  Ministers Special advisers Officials Ministers Special advisers Officials 
		
		
			 2002–03 — — — — — 2 
			 2003–04 — — — — — 2 
			 2004–05 — — — — — 2 
			 2005–06 — — 2 — — (32)1 
		
	
	(32)Recovered

Letting Schemes

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many choice-based lettings schemes have been established by local authorities in England since 2001, broken down by region.

Yvette Cooper: The following table shows the number of local authorities which indicated that they operate a choice-based lettings scheme as at April 2004. As some authorities are jointly involved in the same choice-based lettings scheme, the figures more accurately represent the number of local authorities which have adopted a choice based lettings approach rather than the number of choice-based lettings schemes in operation.
	
		Number of local authorities involved in a choice-based letting scheme as at April 2004
		
			  
		
		
			 North East 2 
			 North West 17 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 5 
			 East Midlands 7 
			 West Midlands 7 
			 East of England 7 
			 London 18 
			 South East 7 
			 South West 8 
			 England 78 
		
	
	Source:
	ODPM's Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix
	Information on choice based letting schemes has been collected since 2002; only the latest figures are shown as previous year's data are not thought to be reliable.

Local Area Agreements

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans the Government have to extend local area agreements to lower-tier authorities.

Phil Woolas: Lower-tier authorities are already included in Local Area Agreements (LAAs) in two-tier areas. Whilst county councils lead the development of LAAs, they must work closely with lower-tier authorities in their areas in doing so. Precisely how this engagement takes place is down to local arrangements.

Local Government Finance

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of the questionnaire sent to local authorities by his Department on the impact of implementing different variations of local government finance reform.

Phil Woolas: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has made available in the Library of the House copies of a questionnaire issued to a small selection of local authorities about possible practical and timing issues for Local Authorities and IT suppliers related to council tax revaluation in England. We have also provided a summary of the responses which have been submitted to Lyons.
	As the questionnaire makes clear, the list of reform scenarios it contains was a way of exploring some of the technical parameters relating to practical implementation of council tax revaluation. It should not be taken in any sense as an indication of likely reform options.

Lyons Review

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many full-time equivalent employees are employed in relation to the Lyons Review.

Phil Woolas: The Lyons Inquiry team comprises 11.9full-time equivalent employees. The efficiency and relocation team, in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, works on both the implications for the Office of the Lyons relocation review as well as the Gershon review. The team has three full-time members of staff and they spend about a third of their time specifically on Lyons relocation review-related work. Other members of staff across the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, including in the regional development group, and in our non-departmental public bodies and executive agencies undertake specific work as necessary.

New Homes

David Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many new homes have been built by each local housing authority that has opted for (a) large scale voluntary transfer, (b) arm's length management organisation and (c) private finance initiative in each year since it did so.

Yvette Cooper: Most local housing authorities have not built any dwellings following large scale voluntary transfer, except those tabled as follows. Most social housing provision will have been through registered social landlords. Local housing authorities opting for arm length management organisation have reported no subsequent local authority house building. Local authorities with signed Housing Revenue Account private finance initiatives contracts have not reported any subsequent local authority house building.
	
		Local authorities reporting 'local authority' house building following large scale voluntary transfer (dwellings/year)
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Chiltern  
			 1989–90 25 
			   
			 Cotswold(33)  
			 1997–98 17 
			 1998–99 17 
			 2000–01 20 
			 2002–03 4 
			 2003–04 10 
			   
			 East Lindsey  
			 1999–2000 1 
			   
			 Hambleton  
			 1996–97 16 
			   
			 Hertsmere  
			 1998–99 1 
			   
			 Kennet  
			 1999–2000 11 
			 2003–04 5 
			   
			 Mid Sussex  
			 1991–92 32 
			   
			 Ryedale  
			 1995–96 4 
			   
			 Sevenoaks(33)  
			 1989–90 102 
			 1990–91 18 
			 1991–92 18 
			 1992–93 6 
			   
			 South Shropshire  
			 1994–95 6 
			   
			 Vale of White Horse  
			 1995–96 9 
		
	
	(33)Numbers may include some registered social landlord dwellings due to misclassification.

Pensioner Home Improvements

David Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whatsteps he has taken to ensure that local authorities adopt appropriate practices for delivering home improvements for pensioners to meet their community safety objectives; and what discussions his Department has had with the Home Office on this subject.

Phil Woolas: Under the Regulatory Reform (Housing Assistance)(England and Wales) Order 2002 local authorities were given wide ranging new powers to provide financial assistance to home-owners and others to improve living accommodation. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's circular 05/2003 advised local authorities on how they could be used to align housing renewal policies with wider strategic objectives such as the reduction of crime and antisocial behaviour.
	Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 places a duty on named agencies to do all they can to reasonably prevent crime and disorder in their area. The decisions and activities of local bodies and organisations can have an important impact on levels of crime and disorder in communities. In recognition of this, section17 aims to place crime and disorder reduction at the heart of local decision-making and to give it a focus across the wide range of local services that influence and impact on community safety.
	Ministers and official in ODPM are in constant touch with colleagues in the Home Office to discuss these important strategic issues and how effective policies can best be delivered.

Regional Fire Control Centres

Michael Fallon: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much his Department has spent on (a) consultancy and (b) other fees relating to the proposed regional fire control centres.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The FiReControl project commenced in January 2004. To the end of May 2005, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has spent £10,385,447 on consultancy and £2,524,472 on other fees related to the project. Some of these costs relating to building design are eligible to be reclaimed from selected accommodation developers.

Reviews (Funding)

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will publish the budget for the conduct of (a) the Lyons Review and (b) the Balance of Funding Review.

Phil Woolas: The Lyons Inquiry spent £239,565 in 2004–05 and has an estimated spend of £731,400 for 2005–06. The team working in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister on the implications of the Lyon's relocation review and the Gershon efficiency review is projected to cost £110,785 in 2005–06. About £37,000 of this can be attributed to Lyon's relocation review-related work.
	For the Balance of Funding Review £118,789 was spent on externally commissioned research. The net cost of producing the report was about £1,000 taking account of sales. Other, administrative costs were not separately identified.

Thames Gateway Flood Risk Assessment

Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to delay the need for developers to provide a flood risk assessment for each new development until the Thames gateway flood risk assessment is available.

Yvette Cooper: In line with planning policy guidance note (PPG) 25, those proposing developments in flood risk areas should carry out a flood risk assessment appropriate to the location, scale and nature of the development and should submit this with the application.
	The strategic flood risk assessment currently being undertaken by the Thames Gateway South Essex Partnership will provide information allowing local authorities in the area to work together to develop land use allocation strategies for managing flood risk. It will not remove the necessity for site-specific flood risk assessments which will still be needed to consider the specific risk of flooding to the development over its expected lifetime and address issues such as surface drainage and rainwater collection and discharge, as well as risks associated from fluvial or tidal flooding.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Chess

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent assessment she has made of the case for chess to be recognised as a sport; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: The criteria that the sports councils use to decide whether an activity should be recognised as a sport are derived from their Royal Charters, and ultimately from the Physical Training and Recreation Act 1937. Legal advice has stated that chess does not fall within the meaning of the word sport" for the purposes of the Royal Charter, or the meaning of physical training and recreation" in the Act. Recognition of chess would therefore require amendments to the Act.
	Sport is now a devolved matter, so a change in the current position would require the unanimous support of both the Devolved Administrations (DAs) and the sports councils, before any progress could be made. It would be necessary to put a case to the DAs and the sports councils for legislative change that would include chess, and if necessary other mind games", within the criteria for recognition as a sport. The case put forward must be able to convince them that chess provides the same benefits to the public, such as improved health and fitness, as recognised sports, in order to merit equal status and the financial support that comes with it.

Departmental Press Release

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she was first informed that her departmental press officer had disseminated a press release on behalf of her husband; and who authorised the press officer to take this action.

Tessa Jowell: The press officer, acting on his own initiative, e-mailed a single newspaper with a statement on behalf of Mr. Mills. He was not asked or encouraged to do so, and I was made aware later that day that he had done so.

National Lottery

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which constituencies have received (a) less than 10 per cent. and (b) less than 15 per cent. of the national average for constituencies of grants to good causes from the national lottery; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: This answer is based on the latest commercially available constituency boundary information, which does not include the boundary changes made in Scotland for the 2005 general election.
	The following constituencies have received less than 10 per cent. of the average (mean) amount awarded in each constituency:
	Hornchurch
	Birmingham, Hall Green
	Birmingham, Hodge Hill
	Southend West
	Romford
	Hamilton South
	Billericay
	Constituencies that have received less than 15 per cent. of the average (mean) amount awarded in each constituency include the seven listed above, and the following eight:
	Aberdeen South
	Hayes and Harlington
	Croydon South
	Luton North
	Newport East
	Birmingham, Erdington
	Birmingham, Yardley
	Rayleigh
	However the mean average of £23.9 million per constituency is distorted because of very large grants in a few constituencies. If the median average of £13.3 million is used, no constituencies have less than 10 per cent. of this and only Hornchurch and Birmingham, Hall Green have received less than 15 per cent.
	The two lists of constituencies are derived from the Department's Lottery Awards Database which is based on information supplied by the lottery distributors.

Swimming Pools

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many swimming pools there have been in each London borough in each year since 1997.

Richard Caborn: The information requested is provided in the following table. The information includes swimming pools provided by public and private operators.
	
		
			   Of which: x" built in 
			 London borough Total number of pools 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham 8 1 — 1 — — — — — — 
			 Barnet 22 1 2 — 2 2 1 — 1 — 
			 Bexley 14 — — — 1 — — — 1 2 
			 Brent 8 — — — — — 1 — — — 
			 Bromley 28 — 2 — 3 2 1 — 1 — 
			 Camden 25 — 2 1 2 1 — — — — 
			 City of London 14 — — 2 — 3 1 1 — — 
			 Croydon 28 1 — 1 2 — 2 — 4 — 
			 Ealing 26 2 3 — 2 2 2 1 1 — 
			 Enfield 16 — 1 — 1 — 2 — — — 
			 Greenwich 16 — — 1 — — — — — — 
			 Hackney 5 — — — — — — 1 — — 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 18 — 1 — 1 1 4 2 — — 
			 Haringey 16 1 — — — — — — — — 
			 Harrow 11 2 1 — 1 — 1 — — — 
			 Havering 12 — — — — 2 — — 4 — 
			 Hillingdon 20 1 — 2 — 2 — — 1 — 
			 Hounslow 16 — — — — 1 — 1 — — 
			 Islington 13 — 1 — 1 2 1 — — — 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 16 — — 3 1 — 1 1 — — 
			 Kingston upon Thames 12 — 2 — 1 — 3 1 — — 
			 Lambeth 11 — 1 — 1 1 — — 1 — 
			 Lewisham 9 — — — — — — — 2 — 
			 Merton 14 — 1 2 — — 1 — — — 
			 Newham 10 — — — — 2 1 1 — — 
			 Redbridge 11 1 — 1 — 1 1 — — — 
			 Richmond 19 — — — — — — — 2 — 
			 Southwark 17 — 2 1 — — 1 — 1 — 
			 Sutton 12 — — — — 1 — — — — 
			 Tower Hamlets 11 1 — — 1 1 1 — — — 
			 Waltham Forest 15 — — — 1 1 3 — — — 
			 Wandsworth 20 — — — — 1 1 — 1 — 
			 Westminster 40 — 1 — 2 4 3 — 2 1

TRANSPORT

Buses

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which local authorities in England subsidise the running of bus services.

Karen Buck: The majority of subsidy for bus services outside London is provided by local transport authorities, that is county councils, unitary authorities and in metropolitan areas, passenger transport authorities. In some areas district councils also contribute to funding for bus services.

Computer Crime

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many cases of computer (a) hacking, (b) fraud and (c) theft his Department recorded in each year since 2001–02; and for each year, on how many occasions computer systems have been illegally accessed by computer hackers (i) within and (ii) outside his Department.

Karen Buck: The Department and its Agencies recorded no cases of computer hacking in 2001–02, 30 cases in 2002–03, 71 cases in 2003–04, 31 cases in 2004–05 (internal source) and one case to date in 2005–06 (external source). Of these, the number of recorded cases attributed to fraud were 30 in 2002–03, 71 in 2003–04 and 30 in 2004–05.
	The Department and its Agencies has recorded six cases of theft in 2001–02, 23 cases in 2002–03, 23 cases in 2003–04, 18 cases in 2004–05 and four cases to date in 2005–06. These cases were perpetrated by persons outside the Department and its Agencies.

Container Traffic

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his most recent estimate is of the percentage of container traffic which entered the UK through (a) Harwich, (b) Felixstowe and (c) London which had final destinations north of the M62 and which was transported to those destinations by train.

Stephen Ladyman: The Department does not collect information about the destination of containers that enter UK ports and which are transported onwards by train.

Container Traffic

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his most recent estimate is of the tonnage of container traffic which entered the UK through (a) Harwich, (b) Felixstowe and (c) London which went to destinations north of the M62 by lorry.

Stephen Ladyman: Separate information is not available for individual ports. However, it is estimated that in 2003 about 650,000 tonnes of container traffic entered the UK by lorry through ports in Essex, Greater London or Suffolk and had a final destination north of the M62 1 .
	1 Including Greater Manchester, Merseyside and West Yorkshire Metropolitan Areas.
	Source:
	Continuing Survey of Road Goods Transport 2003"

Departmental Finance and Payroll Contract

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the Partners Achieving Change Together (PACT) contract was let; and whether PACT work was offered to open competition via a notice in the Official Journal of the European Community prior to being let.

Karen Buck: The PACT contract was let in September 2002. It was tendered under OJEC competitive procurement rules, supported by the OGC gateway review process. Nine respondents were long-listed, three were short-listed and negotiations undertaken with two.

Leeds Supertram

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to make an announcement on the proposed Supertram scheme in Leeds; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: The Secretary of State made clear the position on the Supertram scheme in his Oral statement last summer on 20 July 2004, Official Report, column159. Since then revised proposals have been submitted for consideration and will be decided upon in due course.

Light Rail Schemes

Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many light rail schemes have been completed and opened since 1997.

Alistair Darling: The following light rail schemes have been completed and opened since 1997:
	Midland Metro—1999
	Docklands Light Railway extension to Lewisham—1999
	Croydon Tramlink—2000
	Manchester Metrolink Phase II (to Eccles)—2000
	Tyne and Wear Metro Sunderland extension—2002
	Nottingham Express Transit—2004

Railways

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many passengers per train there were on the North London line in each year since 1997.

Derek Twigg: This information is not held centrally by the Department or the Strategic Rail Authority.

Railways

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many rail passengers travelled from Shenfield to Heathrow in each month since 2003.

Derek Twigg: This information is not held centrally by the Department or the Strategic Rail Authority.

Repatriation (Airline Failures)

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what meetings have taken place between officials in his Department and officials in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to discuss arrangements to repatriate UK passengers in the event of a major airline failure.

Karen Buck: The Government have in place contingency plans to deal with crises, including a major airline failure, and officials from this Department have met Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials on a number of occasions to discuss these arrangements.

Secure Station Scheme

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many stations there are in Greater London; if he will list those which have been accredited since 1998 under the secure station scheme; and what the (a) date of accreditation, (b) the dates of re-accreditation and (c) when accreditation lapsed was in each case.

Karen Buck: Stations are awarded secure stations status for a two year period once they have met the required accreditation standards on station design, station management, crime management, and passenger perceptions.
	There are 615 rail stations in Greater London, including 34 Docklands Light Rail and 257 London Underground stations. Of these stations 131 have been accredited since 1998 under the secure stations scheme, consisting of 55 first time accreditations, 31 re-accreditations and 45 lapsed stations. A list detailing these stations along with their respective accreditation, re-accreditation and lapsed dates has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Travel Industry

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has held with (a) the Association of British Travel Agents, (b) the Federation of Tour Operators and (c) the Association of Independent Tour Operators on the regulatory burden on the travel industry.

Karen Buck: On 23 June 2005 I met representatives of the Association of Independent Tour Operators to discuss their concerns on the regulatory burden in the travel industry. On 3 May 2005 officials from this Department met representatives of the Association of British Travel Agents and the Federation of Tour Operators to discuss the same issue.

Vehicle Excise Duty

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the (a) total value and (b) percentage of total expected revenue of vehicle excise duty evasionis estimated to have been in each year since 1997–98.

Stephen Ladyman: Estimates of vehicle excise duty (VED) evasion are made by national roadside surveys undertaken by DfT statisticians. Surveys were carried out in 1994, 1999, 2002 and the latest survey took place in June 2004.
	
		
			  Estimated value of loss through VED evasion (£ million) Estimated percentage of revenue due 
		
		
			 1994 200 4.1 
			 1999 191 3.9 
			 2002 206 4.8 
			 2004 129 3.4

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

BAE Systems

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Solicitor-General whether the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) asked the Defence Export Services Organisation for (a) information and (b) co-operation in respect of the SFO's investigation into allegations of bribery and false accounting concerning BAE Systems and Saudi Arabian officials.

Mike O'Brien: The question relates to an ongoing criminal investigation by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO). In the circumstances, it would not be appropriate to either confirm or deny whether the SFO has approached a particular individual or entity.

Crown Prosecution Service

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Solicitor-General how much has been spent on the Crown Prosecution Service in each of the last 10 years.

Mike O'Brien: The following table gives the net expenditure on the Crown Prosecution Service in each of the last 10 years. Expenditure is reported in cash terms from 1995–96 to 2000–01 and in resource terms thereafter.
	
		
			  £000 
		
		
			 1995–96 296,002 
			 1996–97 299,412 
			 1997–98 299,691 
			 1998–99 307,417 
			 1999–2000 308,774 
			 2000–01 343,382 
			 2001–02 427,975 
			 2002–03 459,665 
			 2003–04 525,619 
			 2004–05 575,554

WORK AND PENSIONS

Autism

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps the Government are taking to help people with autism find employment; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: holding answer 28 June 2005
	Our specialist Disability Employment Advisers (DEAs), who are based in jobcentres, receive training and guidance to help them support people with health conditions and disabilities into employment, including people with autism. The support provided by DEAs includes advice on jobs and training, as well as information on in-work support, and specialist programmes to help overcome barriers to employment associated with disability.
	All our Jobcentre Plus advisers have access to a Disability Awareness Open Learning Handbook, which includes information on autistic spectrum disorders; the effects they have on individuals, the implications for work, and the possible types of support an individual might need in employment. This information was approved by the National Autistic Society and is recommended learning for all advisers, and mandatory learning for DEAs. We are currently working with the society on further enhancements.
	All Jobcentre Plus staff, including DEAs, also have access to information on a range of disabilities, including autism, through guidance on our Intranet.

Incapacity Benefit

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people declared part-time earnings while claiming incapacity benefit in each of the last five years.

Anne McGuire: The information is not available.

Jobcentres

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what representations he has received about the reduction of staff numbers in local job centres;
	(2)  what plans he has to reduce the number of staff at Jobcentre Plus offices.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 29 June 2005
	The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the acting chief executive, Lesley Strathie. She will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Lesley Strathie to Mr. Hugo Swire, dated 30 June 2005
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions concerning what representations he has received about the reduction of staff numbers in local Jobcentres, and what plans he has to reduce the number of staff at Jobcentre Plus offices. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	As announced in the 2004 Spending Review, the Department has plans to reduce overall staff numbers by 30,000 by 31 March 2008. Jobcentre Plus has agreed with the Department that its contribution towards that overall reduction would be a headcount target for March 2008 of 65,672 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) staff. To provide some context for that figure, at the end of May 2005 Jobcentre Plus employed 72,888 FTE staff.
	There have been several representations to the Secretary of State on this subject. In addition, we are consulting closely with our recognised trade unions on the steps we are taking to meet our efficiency challenge. We consulted them whilst developing our Human Resources policies and procedures and reached a formal agreement in November 2004 on avoiding or, if that is not possible, minimising compulsory redundancies.
	I hope this is helpful.

Mental Capacity Act

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps are being taken to bring appointeeships in line with the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

Anne McGuire: Officials are currently discussing the Act's draft Code of Conduct with officials of the Department for Constitutional Affairs, who are responsible for the implementation of the Act. They will also have discussions with the Making Decisions Alliance in the near future.

TREASURY

Tax Credits

David Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received regarding the operation of the tax credit system.

Dawn Primarolo: Since April 2005 tax credits have been the subject of debate or statements on a number of occasions in both Houses:
	6 April 2005, Westminster Hall Debate (column 437WH)
	7 June 2005, Westminster Hall Debate (column 47WH)
	26 May 2005, Paymaster General's statement (column 23WS)
	22 June 2005, Paymaster General's statement (column 801)
	22 June 2005, Paymaster General's statement repeated in the House of Lords. (column 1677)
	Various representations have been made on each of these occasions, to which Ministers responded at the time.
	I have also answered several questions in the House and replied to letters from Members and others.
	The Ombudsman's Office and Citizens Advice have also sent me copies of their reports published on 22 June.

Tax Credits

Ben Wallace: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much in overpayment of (a) working tax credit and (b) working family tax credit is owed to Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs.

Dawn Primarolo: Estimates of numbers and values of child tax credit and working tax credit overpayments for 2003–04 awards at 5 April 2004, appear in the HMRC publication, Child and Working Tax Credits Statistics. Finalised Awards 2003–04. Supplement on payments in 2003–04." The estimates are based on samples and are subject to significant sampling uncertainty. This publication can be found in the Library.
	Working families' tax credit awards were based on a snapshot of income and circumstances around the time of claim, and were then fixed at a specific amount regardless of any rise or fall in income for 26 weeks.

Tax Credits

Philip Dunne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will simplify the tax credits system so that it can be explained to applicants in significantly fewer pages of guidance notes than at present.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the written statement I made to the House on 26 May 2005, Official Report, columns 22–23WS, setting out six measures to improve tax credits and, in particular, with regard to how HMRC communicate with families about their tax credits award.

Tax Credits

David Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received on the operation of the tax credits system.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Buckingham (John Bercow) in the Chamber this morning.

Child Poverty

David Kidney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress he has made towards the target of eradicating child poverty within a generation; and what further action he intends to take in furtherance of meeting this target.

Dawn Primarolo: Child poverty more than doubled between 1979 and 1997, and was higher in the UK than anywhere else in the EU.
	This Government's policy is that every child should have the opportunity to fulfil its potential. We have already lifted more than half a million children out of relative poverty, and are broadly on track to eradicate child poverty by reducing child poverty by a quarter in a quarter of the time.
	Our strategy was set out in the Child Poverty Review last summer. We intend to go further by:
	helping more people who want to work find work;
	by providing financial support to help families with the costs of children;
	by implementing our 10 Year Strategy for Childcare;
	and by investing in our children's future so that by 2007–08 total funding for schools will be 60 per cent. higher than in 1996–97.

Debt Relief

Angela Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his proposals for debt relief at the G8 summit.

Ivan Lewis: Last month G7 finance ministers agreed a detailed plan to match 100 per cent. bilateral debt write off with 100 per cent. multilateral debt cancellation for the 38 heavily indebted poor countries.
	This covers debts owed to the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and African Development fund of some $55 billion. 18 countries will have their debts cancelled immediately, worth around $40 billion once the plan is agreed by IMF and World Bank boards.

Debt Relief

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress is being made towards 100 per cent. multilateral debt relief.

Ivan Lewis: Last month G7 Finance Ministers agreed a detailed plan to match 100 per cent. bilateral debt write off with 100 per cent. multilateral debt cancellation for the 38 heavily indebted poor countries.
	This covers debts owed to the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and African Development fund of some 55 billion dollars. 18 countries will have their debts cancelled immediately, worth around 40billion dollars once the plan is agreed by IMF and World Bank boards.

Borrowing Forecast

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes he expects in the level of Government net borrowing in the next five years.

Des Browne: Budget projections show that net borrowing is expected to fall to a prudent level of 1.5 per cent. of GDP by 2009–10.

Shared Appreciation Mortgages

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on shared appreciation mortgages.

Ivan Lewis: The Government understand the concerns of people who purchased shared appreciation mortgages in the mid 1990s. However, to date no evidence of mis-selling has been found by the Financial Ombudsman Service.

G8 (Economic Objectives)

Si�n Simon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his economic objectives for the Gleneagles summit.

Ivan Lewis: At their meeting on 1011 June chaired by the Chancellor, Finance Ministers prepared the economic and financial aspects of the G8 summit. They agreed: that vigorous action was required by each member country to support a smooth adjustment to more balanced growth; a wide-ranging set of actions to improve the operation of the oil market to manage high and volatile prices; and a comprehensive package of measures on debt relief, aid and development. All these agreements will be reflected in discussions at Gleneagles.

Foreign Currency Reserves

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his latest estimate is of the value of the foreign currency reserves of the UK.

Ivan Lewis: Details of the UK Official Holdings of International Reserves are released monthly and are available from the Treasury website. The latest figures for the end of May, were gross reserves of $47,718 million, equivalent to 26,183 million when converted using the (4 pm) closing market rate of 1=$1.8225 on 31 May.

National Insurance

Anne Main: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much was raised from national insurance contributions in 200405.

Ivan Lewis: As set out in the Budget, national insurance contribution receipts for 200505 are forecasted to be 77.9 billion.

Stamp Duty

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer How much tax was raised from stamp duty in the (a) 199798 and (b) 200405 financial years.

Ivan Lewis: Stamp duty on property transactions raised 1.5 billion in 199798, and stamp duty land tax, which replaced stamp duty in 2003, raised 6.3 billion in 200405.
	Stamp duty on transactions in the shares of UK incorporated companies raised 1.96 billion in 199798. The figure for the 200405 financial year will be published in September.

Sustainable Development

Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had with other Departments on sustainable development.

John Healey: I regularly meet DEFRA and other Ministers to discuss a range of issues including sustainable development. HM Treasury is also actively involved in discussions on this important issue.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Cherie Blair (Security Arrangements)

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what arrangements were made to ensure the safety of the Prime Minister's wife when she visited the US in June; and what the costs were;
	(2)  what security arrangements have been put in place for the Prime Minister's wife's visit to the Starhill Boutique complex in Kuala Lumpur on 31 July; and what the estimated costs are.

Charles Clarke: We seek to ensure the most effective and efficient protective security arrangements for public figures in the light of the changing threat from terrorism and other continuing risks. It is not our policy to comment on the details or costs of protective security arrangements for any individual, as to do so could compromise his or her security.

Civil Servants

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what value for money procurement savings were identified and what reduction in civil service posts occurred in his Department in 200405.

Charles Clarke: In pre-Budget report 2004, the Chancellor reported Office for Government Commerce (OGC) value for money gains in central civil Government procurement for 200304 of 2 billion. OGC value for money procurement gains for 200405 are being calculated and will be published in the 2005 Treasury autumn performance report.
	In Budget 2005, the Chancellor announced a headcount reduction of 12,500 posts by the end of 200405, towards the Government's target of a gross reduction of 84,000 civil service and administrative posts by 2008. My Department's performance was reported in the 2005 Home Office annual report (Cm6528); the size of the Department's headquarters was reduced by 876 full time equivalent posts.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will answer the letter dated 10 May 2005 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Fanny Garvey.

Charles Clarke: I replied to my right hon. Friend on 28 June.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will answer the letter dated 10 May 2005 from the right hon. member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Ms. Zeinab Abdulrahman al-Hashmi.

Charles Clarke: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 9 June.

Crime Figures

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) reported incidents and (b) judicial disposals of (i) violent crime, (ii) car crime, (iii) robbery and (iv) burglary there were in each of the last three years for each London borough; and what the percentage change in each case was in each year.

Hazel Blears: The available information relates to offences recorded and detected by each London borough. The statistics, including percentage changes, are available from the following web-links:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs04/cdrptabs.xls
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs2/hosb703sup1.xls

Departmental Relocation

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of his Department's posts (a) have been relocated and (b) are under consideration for relocation from London to the deprived areas of the South East.

Charles Clarke: Following the recommendations of the Lyons Review, the Home Office is developing plans to relocate up to 2,200 posts out of London and the South East by 2010. This will not exclude consideration of moving some posts to relatively deprived areas of the South East.

Prison Education

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for improving education services in prisons.

Fiona Mactaggart: The way in which education and training are delivered in prisons, and the content of the learning offered, are changing. From August 2005, the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) will in three regions (the North West, North East and South West) take responsibility for delivering an integrated learning and skills service for offenders both in custody and the community, linking it much more explicitly with mainstream provision for post-16 learners. A greater focus on skills will lead to greater employability on release, thereby making a significant contribution to reducing re-offending. The remaining six regions in England will follow in August 2006.
	The new service has at its heart the principle that education and training for offenders should be more flexible and learner centred. Literacy, language and numeracy will rightly continue to be a high priority for offender learning, but the new service will for the first time bring together the Education Service with vocational training, in the context of a broader curriculum. The key change in the new arrangements is early, intense focus on assessing the offender learner's needs and preparing an individual learning plan that will set out learning needsand achievementsas the individual moves through the criminal justice system, creating a seamless learning journey for offenders across prisons and probation and up to release.
	The key features of the new learning and skills service are outlined in a document called the Offender's Learning Journey, available at www.dfes.gov.uk/offenderlearning (you have to select the initiatives hyperlink to view the new delivery section.) The Offender's Learning Journey specifies the content of the learning and skills service to be supported by the LSC from August 2005.

Prison Education

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what percentage of the (a) adult and (b) youth prison population were in education in each year between 1994 and 2004.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Prison Service do not collect centrally individual information on prisoners participating in learning and skills through its contracts with education providers.
	However, the Youth Justice Board target is to provide all young people in young offender institutions with 25 hours per week of education, training and personal development.
	For adults, a 2003 report published by the Learning and Skills Development Agency ('Education, Training, Assessment and Learner Support in HM Prisons and Young Offender Institutions'), found that 39 per cent. of prisoners were engaged in education and training.

Home Detention Curfew Scheme

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the Home Detention Curfew Scheme.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Government consider the Home Detention Curfew Scheme (HDC) is working well and has no proposals for change.
	The HDC scheme enables prisoners, primarily those serving sentences of between three months and under four years, to return to the community up to 135 days earlier than their normal release date (half-way point of the sentence). Prisoners must have a suitable address and pass a risk assessment before release can be granted. If considered suitable, prisoners are released under licence and are subject to an electronically monitored curfew, normally for 12 hours a day, at an address within England and Wales. If they breach the licence conditions they are liable to be returned to prison to serve the remaining custodial portion of their sentence in custody.
	Certain categories of prisoners are statutorily excluded from HDC, including prisoners subject to the registration requirements of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 and prisoners serving extended sentences. In addition, prisoners with any history of sexual offending or serving sentences for certain serious offences are presumed unsuitable for release on HDC unless there are exceptional reasons to grant release.
	Prisoners serving determinate sentences of four years or more whose offences were committed on or after 4 April 2005 are not statutorily excluded from HDC but they will be presumed unsuitable for release on HDC unless the governor considers there are exceptional circumstances.

Lost/Stolen Passports

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many passports have been recorded as (a) lost and (b) stolen since the introduction of secure delivery.

Charles Clarke: The secure delivery of passports commenced on 9 February 2004. Since that time, almost 8.25 million deliveries have been completed. Up to 31 March 2005 a total of 683 passports have been recorded as lost or stolen in the post and have not reached the intended customer. Of these, 217 have been confirmed as stolen, 77 passports have subsequently been recovered and the remaining 389 are considered lost, but remain under investigation by UKPS or SMS, as they are likely to have been misposted and may yet be returned. In comparison in the final year of the Royal Mail contract 3,593 passports were reported lost or stolen.

National Probation Directorate (Risk Assessment)

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the risk assessment commissioned by the National Probation Directorate in March.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Home Office published the National Probation Service (NPS) risk register, as agreed with the NPS Audit committee, identified as part of the 200506 Business Plan on the NPS website on 29 March. The summary of the risk was also published in the booklet that explains in detail the content of the 200506 Business Plan.

Victims of Crime (Online Information)

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the project to make it possible for victims of crime to track the progress of their case online was initiated; what stage the project has reached; whether it is on schedule; and what the latest estimate of the cost of the project is.

Fiona Mactaggart: The facility for victims of crime to track the progress of their case online was a target for the CJS IT programme in the SR2002 period (commencing 200304).
	The No Witness No Justice (NWNJ) initiative is setting up witness care units that provides trained intermediaries, who understand the needs of victims and witnesses and will be more responsive to their individual requirements. The IT tool to support the witness case officers is being rolled out now, with the first release available from 20 June 2005. This offers officers access to existing case data stored on the Crown Prosecution Service's case management system plus the ability to search by witnesses. Enhancements will be available in November 2005 that will allow the officers to add/amend case details relating to victims and witnesses.
	This IT support is being funded from within the CJSIT ring-fence, with allocations of 1.2 million in 200405 and 6.5 million in 200506.

Police (Assaults)

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many policemen have been hospitalised following assaults while on active duty in each of the last five years.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Prisons

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many additional prison places have been provided, and at what cost, in each of the last six years; what the average cost of building a new prison place is; and if he will make a statement.

Fiona Mactaggart: The number of prison places provided in each financial year since 200001, and the cost of providing these places, is provided in the table. These figures include both expansions at existing establishments and the construction of new prisons.
	The average cost for providing these prison places is 99,839, also including both the costs of capacity expansions at existing prisons and the construction of new prisons.
	
		Annex A
		
			  Number of places provided Cost ( million) 
		
		
			 200506 1,120 (34) 
			 200405 2,571 291.4 
			 200304 1,372 136.5 
			 200203 1,818 158.8 
			 200102 1,013 105.2 
			 200001 680 52.3 
		
	
	(34)The number of places for 200506 includes all places currently scheduled for delivery during 200506. Full details of costs for 200506 are not yet available.

Prisons

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many young people were held in adult prisons on the latest date for which figures are available.

Fiona Mactaggart: holding answer 9 June 2005
	On 30 April 2005 there were 3,287 young persons aged under 21. This includes some 21-year-olds who have not yet been reclassified as adults held in prison establishments which also hold adults, as recorded on the Prison Service IT system.

Prisons

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to change the maximum length of prison sentence that can be passed by a magistrate; and if he will make a statement.

Fiona Mactaggart: The maximum custodial penalty a magistrate can pass is currently six months for a single offence; the Criminal Justice Act 2003 increases this to 12 months. Implementation will be in September 2006.

Prisons

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has plans to penalise the contractors at HMP Rye Hill following its recent inspection and controller reports.

Fiona Mactaggart: Recent events, including the forthcoming HMIP inspection report of HMP Rye Hill, will be given due consideration by the Office for Contracted Prisons in deciding whether to penalise the contractor for failing to deliver against the contract. All available options will be considered, including the imposition of financial penalties.

Prisons

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the HomeDepartment how many instances of the finding of illicit alcohol there were at Rye Hill Prison during 200405

Fiona Mactaggart: A total of 72 finds of illicit alcohol (fermenting liquid) were reported at HMP Rye Hill during the 200405 financial year.

Private Finance Initiative

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the private finance initiative and public private partnership projects his Department is undertaking; and what the status of each is.

Charles Clarke: The table lists the private finance initiative and public private partnership projects which the Home Department is currently engaged and their status.
	
		Home Office PFI/PPP projects
		
			 Commissioning body/project name Signed Operational 
		
		
			 Home Office/IT 2000 (Sirius) Yes Yes 
			 Youth Justice Board/STC Cookham Wood (Medway) Yes Yes 
			 Youth Justice Board/STC Hassockfield Yes Yes 
			 Youth Justice Board/STC Rainsbrook (Onley) Expansion Yes Yes 
			 Youth Justice Board/STC Oakhill Expansion Yes Yes 
			 STC HMP and YOI Ashfield/HMPS Yes Yes 
			 Prison Service/HMP Altcourse Yes Yes 
			 Prison Service/HMP Ashford Yes Yes 
			 Prison Service/HMP Dovegate Yes Yes 
			 Prison Service/HMP Forest Bank Yes Yes 
			 Prison Service/HMP Lowdham Grange Yes Yes 
			 Prison Service/HMP Pare Yes Yes 
			 Prison Service/HMP Peterborough Yes Yes 
			 Prison Service/HMP Rye Hill Yes Yes 
			 Prison Service/Quantum Yes Yes 
			 Passport Service/PASS Project Yes Yes 
			 Home Office/Home Office Central London Accommodation Strategy (2 Marsham Street) Yes Yes 
			 Prison Service/HES 1 Yes Yes 
			 Prison Service/HES 2 Yes Yes

Probation Service/Resources

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what ratio of staff to clients is operated by the London Probation Service; and if he will make a statement.

Fiona Mactaggart: For every operational member of staff there are 60 offenders of whom 25 will be in prison and 35 in the community.

Probation Service/Resources

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to target probation resources at (a) high risk and (b) very high risk offenders.

Fiona Mactaggart: The National Offender Management Model, sent to all probation areas in January, embodies the principle that resources should follow risk and, in particular, that greater resources should be devoted to those offenders who are assessed as being of high and very high risk of re-offending and of causing harm to the public. There is a tiering framework that helps offender managers to allocate offenders to the appropriate level of risk and resource.
	All probation areas are required to implement the Model and have it fully operational for all community sentences by March 2006. The Model will then be used for all custodial sentences by March 2008.
	The Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA), established by the Criminal Justice and Courts Services Act 2000 to reduce the serious re-offending behaviour of sexual and violent offenders and to protect the public, also embody the principle that resources follow risk.

Publication Costs

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much his Department has spent on producing publications in each year since 1997.

Charles Clarke: The amount spent by the Home Office on the printing of publications was:
	
		
			   
		
		
			 19992000 2,626,032.15 
			 200001 3,128,079.64 
			 200102 2,994,877.00 
			 200203 2,492,883.96 
			 200304 2,986,017.11 
			 200405 2,233,511.70 
		
	
	The costs provided are those recorded centrally by the Home Office Communication Directorate. These are printing costs only. Other costs involved in production e.g. design, artwork have not been recorded centrally.
	Data are not available before 1999 as prior to this date, publications spend was not recorded centrally.

Rape Crisis Organisations

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many rape crisis organisations, and other organisations helping female survivors of sexual violence, received funding from his Department in (a) 2001, (b) 2002, (c) 2003 and (d) 2004; and how much each organisation received .

Fiona Mactaggart: The Home Office funded the rape crisis federation, an umbrella body for some 43 local rape crisis groups, from April 2001 until its closure in November 2003. Funding in the financial years between 2001 and 2004 was as follows:
	
		
			   
		
		
			 (a) 200102 406,000 
			 (b) 200203 432,000 
			 (c) 200304 209,800 
		
	
	In 2004 additional funding of 4 million over two financial years was placed in the victims fund to support the development of services for victims of sexual offending. In 200405 financial year, 45 organisations received funding to provide a range of community-based services to male and female victims of sexual violence. Of those, 34 organisations provide women-only or gender-neutral services. Details of victims fund awards for the 200405 financial year are set out in the table.
	
		Victims fund200405 grant funding
		
			  Organisation  Client Group Awarded funding () 
		
		
			 Breaking Free Women victims and survivors of childhood sexual abuse 10,284 
			 CIS'ters Female adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse 23,350 
			 Colchester Rape Crisis Line (CRCL) Female victims of sexual violence 35,450 
			 Cornwall Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre (CRASAC) All victims of sexual violence and abuse 8,120 
			 Coventry Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre (CRASAC) Female victims of sexual violence and abuse 4,910 
			 Croydon Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre All survivors of rape and/or childhood sexual abuse 27,080 
			 Doncaster Rape and Sexual Abuse Counselling Centre All victims of sexual violence (aged 14 plus) 3,066 
			 East Kent Rape Line Female victims of sexual violence 9,688 
			 Family Matters All victims of childhood sexual abuse 5,752 
			 Grimsby and Scunthorpe Rape Crisis All adult victims of sexual violence 6,102 
			 Helping Everyone Abused Live (HEAL) All victims of childhood sexual abuse 10,286 
			 The Jigsaw Project All victims of sexual violence 9,975 
			 Lilith Project Women experiencing violence 14,329 
			 Merseyside Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre Female victims of sexual violence 12,672 
			 National Association for People Abused in Childhood  (NAPAC) Adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse 15,000 
			 New Pathways All victims of sexual violence 16,500 
			 The NIA Project Female victims of physical/sexual violence 8,960 
			 North West Wales Rape and Sexual Abuse Support  Centre All victims of sexual violence 7,685 
			 One in Four Adult victims of sexual violence 24,993 
			 The Quetzal Project Female victims of sexual abuse 46,000 
			 Rape Crisis Co-ordination Group (RCCG) All victims of sexual violence 18,200 
			 Rape and Sexual Violence Project All victims of sexual violence 12,500 
			 Rights of Women Female victims of sexual violence and abuse 21 ,000 
			 Sexual and Domestic Abuse and Rape Advice Centre All victims of sexual or domestic violence 18,036 
			 Sheffield Women's Counselling and Therapy Service Female victims of childhood sexual abuse. 12,500 
			 Southampton Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Counselling  Service (SRC) All victims of sexual violence 3,700 
			 South Essex Rape and Incest Crisis Centre (SERICC) Female victims of sexual violence (aged 13 plus) 31,520 
			 The Survivors Trust Represents specialist voluntary sector organisations 32,800 
			 Warrington Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre All victims of sexual violence 5,995 
			 Warrington Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre (linked with  above recommendation) All victims of sexual violence 7,745 
			 Women's Counselling Service Female victims of sexual violence 2,000 
			 Women's Counselling and Therapy Service Leeds Adult female survivors of childhood sexual abuse 670 
			 Women and Girls Network Female victims of sexual, physical or emotional violence 31,700 
			 Women's Support Network Female victims of domestic/sexual violence 19,450 
			 Worcestershire Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre  (WRSASC) Adult female victims of sexual violence 23,439

Rehabilitation of Offenders Act

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to implement the recommendations of the 2002 review of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Government response to the 2002 review of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, was published in April 2003.
	The Government accepted the majority of the review's recommendations and proposes to legislate as soon as there is an appropriate parliamentary opportunity.

UK-US Data Transfer

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the memoranda of understanding governing the exchange of information between the UK and US (a) governments and (b) law enforcement agencies.

Charles Clarke: The Home Office does not hold a comprehensive list of all agreements with the United States, and law enforcement agencies can negotiate memoranda of understanding with other countries on their own initiative.

Young Offenders

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes have been committed on school premises by persons under 18 years in each of the last five years for which figures are available, broken down by category of offence.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 20 June 2005
	The Home Office recorded crime statistics do not separately identify those offences which took place on school premises and so the information requested is not available.

Young Offenders

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the target is of the Youth Justice Board for the number of hours a week young offenders should spend in education; and how many juvenile establishments met this target in (i) 200203 and (ii) 200304.

Fiona Mactaggart: The targets for education in the custodial establishments for juvenile offenders with which the Youth Justice Board had contractual arrangements or service level agreements in 200203 and 200304 were as follows:
	200203
	Prison Service young offender institutions: 15 hours a week
	Contracted-out young offender institution: no target
	Secure training centres: 25 hours a week
	Local authority secure children's homes: no target
	200304
	Prison Service young offender institutions: 20 hours a week
	Contracted-out young offender institution: 30 hours a week
	Secure training centres: 25 hours a week
	Local authority secure children's homes: 25 hours a week
	The Youth Justice Board reports performance against target as follows:
	200203
	14 of the 15 young offender institutions run by the Prison Service met the target.
	Apart from one centre for a period in September, all secure training centres met the target.
	There are no centrally-collected data relating to educational performance of local authority secure children's homes or the contracted-out young offender institution in 200203.
	200304
	10 of the 13 young offender institutions run by the Prison Service met the target.
	All secure training centres met the target.
	There is no centrally-collected data relating to educational performance of local authority secure children's homes or the contracted-out young offender institution in 200203.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Aid Missions

James McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what provision the Government have made to continue aid missions in countries without British embassies.

Hilary Benn: DFID uses a number of management arrangements to administer its overseas aid programmes. A limited number of aid programmes are managed from the UK, while the majority are managed from offices in the country concerned. DFID Country Offices may be co-located with a British Embassy or High Commission, or may operate from stand-alone premises, depending on local circumstances. Were an Embassy to close in a country where we are already operating, we would review management arrangements. However, our aid programmes are not contingent on the presence of a British Embassy. Examples of countries where DFID operates successfully, but where there is no British Embassy, are Nicaragua and Kyrgyzstan.

Computer Crime

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many cases of computer (a) hacking, (b) fraud and (c) theft his Department recorded in each year since 200102; and for each year, on how many occasions computer systems have been illegally accessed by computer hackers (i)within and (ii) outside his Department.

Hilary Benn: The numbers of cases of computer hacking, fraud and theft in DFID were as follows:
	
		
			  Hacking Fraud Theft 
		
		
			 200102 0 0 8 
			 200203 0 0 7 
			 200304 1 0 7 
			 200405 1 0 4 
		
	
	DFID computer systems were accessed illegally by computer hackers from outside the Department on one occasion in each of the years 200304 and 200405.

Debt Relief

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what bilateral and multilateral discussions have taken place regarding debt relief for (a) Bolivia, (b) Guyana, (c) Honduras, (d) Lao People's Democratic Republic and (e) Nicaragua.

Gareth Thomas: There have been extensive bilateral and multilateral discussions on debt relief for these countries. Most recently, both the Chancellor and I met President Jagdeo of Guyana to discuss debt relief among other issues.
	Bolivia, Guyana, Honduras, the Lao People's Democratic Republic (LAO PDR), and Nicaragua are all classified as Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC). They are therefore eligible for the debt relief being provided to HIPC countries that have demonstrated their commitment to poverty reduction. Bolivia, Guyana, Honduras and Nicaragua have all successfully completed the HIPC process. As part of this, their progress in reducing poverty and implementing economic reforms was discussed a number of times at the World Bank and other financial institutions. The Lao PDR is not opting for debt relief at present, so no such discussions have taken place.
	Recently, G8 Finance Ministers agreed a further debt relief initiative which, when agreed by the Boards of the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the African Development Bank, would cancel up to $55 billion worth of debt stock for 38 countries. Bolivia, Guyana, Honduras and Nicaragua are among 18 countries that would qualify for this assistance immediately. The proposal will be discussed at the World Bank and the IMF Annual Meetings.

Education (Millennium Development Goal)

Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of progress towards the Millennium Development Goal to provide universal primary education in Africa.

Hilary Benn: pursuant to the reply, 23 June 2005, Official Report, c. 1134W
	There was a factual error in the final sentence of my original response. DFID has committed to providing 1.4 billion to education globally over the next three years, rather than to Africa alone as stated.

Everything but Arms Agreement

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the remit of the Everything but Arms agreement is; and what assessment has been made of its effectiveness.

Hilary Benn: The Everything but Arms initiative (EBA) is the EU scheme to give all least developed countries duty and quota free access to the EU market for all products, except armaments. The scheme was introduced in February 2001. Three products, however, were deemed sensitive enough for the EU not to open its borders to them immediately. Full, unrestricted market access for these productssugar, rice and bananasis being phased in gradually and will be completed in 2009.
	There have been several assessments of the effects of the scheme, including by the World Bank who concluded that the impact of EBA has been relatively limited, partly because the vast majority (some 99 per cent.) of EU imports from the LDCs are in products that the EU had already liberalised, and the complete removal of barriers to the key remaining products, rice, sugar and bananas has been delayed. There is a group of the LDCs for whom EU trade preferences on existing exports are not significant since these exports are mainly of products where the normal rate of duty is already zero. Export diversification is the key issue for these countries. For other LDCs, EU preferences have the potential to provide a more substantial impact on trade.
	However, the World Bank assessment shows that only 50 per cent. of EU imports from those eligible LDCs, who are not from the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) grouping, actually request preferential access to the EU. The prime reason for this low level of utilisation would appear to be the rules of originhow or where a product can be produced in order to qualify for a preference. This is because in many cases, the criteria are set so that in practice an LDC must produce a product entirely within its borders, including any inputs or components, in order to qualify for preferential treatment. This requirement is beyond the production capacity of most LDCs, and indeed does not reflect modern business and production patterns, where components or other inputs such as yarn or fabric are imported from the most competitive sources wherever they may be. The World Bank, and indeed many others, recommends more simple and liberal rules of origin to enhance the impact of EU trade preferences both in terms of improving market access and in stimulating diversification towards a broader range of exports. We have already seen this effect in certain African exports to the US, and some Asian exports to Canada.
	The EU is currently reviewing its Rules of Origin, with a view to changing them. Building on the evidence available, the UK will be pressing to ensure that the changes better reflect current business practices and support, rather than hinder, the operation of preference schemes and the economic development these schemes are intended to stimulate.

Female Education (Africa)

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of progress towards access to education for women in Africa.

Hilary Benn: holding answer 27 June 2005
	The most recent assessment of progress towards all the Millennium Development Goals (MDG)s) is a United Nations report published in June 2005.
	The picture of girl's access to education is not uniform across Africa. As reported in the United Nations Millennium Development Goal Report (2005), Sub-Saharan Africa has made limited progress towards increasing girl's access to education. The most recently available figures from 2001 indicate that 86 girls per 100 boys are enrolled at primary school and 79 girls per hundred boys are enrolled in secondary school. The UN's 2004 chart shows that this region is not on track to meet the equal girls enrolment in primary and secondary school MDG targets by 2015 without dramatically scaled up efforts. However the picture is quite different in Northern Africa, with 93 and 96 girls per 100 boys enrolled in primary and secondary schools respectively and the region on track to meet both these MDG targets.
	DFID puts a high priority on expanding primary school enrolment and promoting girls education in Africa.

Health Care (Developing Countries)

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with the World Bank on its policy on charging user fees for health care in developing countries;
	(2)  what plans there are to discuss charging of user fees for health care in developing countries at the G8 summit in July;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the merits of charging user fees for health care in developing countries.

Hilary Benn: DFID's recent assessments are that official user fees contribute minimal amounts to the financing of public services. Additionally, official user fees are a significant barrier to poor people's access to basic health services. In the poorest countries, there has been little success implementing fee exemptions and waivers targeted to poor people. Evidence from Uganda and elsewhere suggests that removing official fees boosts access to services. Therefore, DFID strongly supports the removal of official user fees for basic health care.
	Other fees and charges such as those for medicines, for transport to clinics, and informal or private charges for service, can be more significant in scale, both as a barrier to access and in terms of the revenue they generate. DFID supports the removal of other fees and charges, and helps countries to identify alternative sources of finance for basic health care.
	The G8 summit will discuss financing of health care as part of the Africa agenda. To make improved access to services a reality, we are encouraging the removal of user fees and we are seeking significantly increased resources for health. At Gleneagles we are calling for an extra $50billion a year in development assistance. DFID has regular policy discussions with the World Bank at both Headquarters and country level. This includes discussions on options for financing of health servicesthe World Bank does not have a blanket policy on user fees. We will continue to work with the World Bank, and other partners such as the World Health Organisation, in supporting countries to make progress towards universal access to basic health services.

International Development Organisations (Subscriptions)

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much the Government have committed to the (a) World Bank Group, (b) European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, (c) European Investment Bank, (d) Asian Development Bank, (e) African Development Bank and (f) Inter American Development Bank in each of the last five years, broken down by (i) subscribed funds, (ii) unsubscribed funds and (iii) sums paid in capital.

Hilary Benn: holding answer 23 June 2005
	The financing arrangements of the World Bank Group, Asian Development Bank (AsDB), African Development Bank (AfDB) and Inter-American Development Bank (IaDB) are broadly similar in structure. Capital subscriptions were paid in when the UK joined these institutions, and further amounts are held by the UK, and other shareholders, as callable capitalthat is money which the bank can draw upon if necessary. There have been no demands by these institutions on the UK's callable capital in the last five years.
	These institutions make loans on different terms. Loans at or near market rates are provided to better-off countries, and are self-financing. In addition, each of these institutions has a concessional lending arm that provides low interest, long-term loans and grants to poorer countries. The funding for these concessional resources is supplementedreplenishedby donor governments on roughly three-year cycles. The following table shows the amounts committed by the UK to the replenishments over the last five years. There have been no replenishments for the Inter-American Development Bank during this time.
	
		 million
		
			  International Development Association of the World Bank African Development Fund of the AfDB Asian Development Fund of the AsDB 
		
		
			 200001
			 200102   84.7 
			 200203 1,000 121.8  
			 200304
			 200405 1,330 178.7 114.1 
		
	
	Note:
	Commitments shown under 200405 are subject to parliamentary approval.
	In addition to the amounts shown, incentive contributions have been agreed, which are conditional on progress being achieved in key areas. The amounts are 100 million for the World Bank and 27.5 million for the African Development Bank. The case for an additional contribution to the Asian Development Bank will be considered at the end of 2006.
	The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development was established in 1991. The UK share of the bank's capital is 8.5 per cent., which is around 1.7billion. Of this, 446 million is paid-in capital, and the Government are making annual instalments of around 16 million to fulfil this commitment; the total amount will have been paid by 2009. EBRD does not make concessional loans.
	After the enlargement of the European Union in 2004, the European Investment Bank's (EIB) capital was increased to 164 billion. The UK has a share of 16.3 per cent., which is 26.6 billion. Of this amount, only 5 per cent. is paid-in capital. In the last five years, there have been increases in the UK's share of the subscribed and paid-in capital but these have been fully paid from the European Investment Bank's Reserves. EIB lending is predominately non-concessional.
	In addition to the contributions we provide to these institutions' core budgets, DFID provides funding to forward particular objectives or to finance specific projects and activities. Such financing includes country specific trust funds, for example for Afghanistan; funding for research and analysis; and resources for centrally-managed initiatives such as the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries' Trust Fund, which channels donor resources to assist multilateral organisations provide their share of debt relief to countries.

Iraq

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance his Department has provided to the government of Iraq in developing (a) running water, (b) sanitation (c) electricity and (d) gas services.

Hilary Benn: DFID has committed more than 70 million in bilateral assistance towards improved water, electricity and fuel supplies in southern Iraq, to the benefit of over five million people. 20 million was spent on an Emergency Infrastructure Programme in 2003 and 2004, and a further 18 million has been committed for quick-impact emergency infrastructure rehabilitation in 2004 and 2005. A new 40 million power, water and fuel project began in April 2005, which will provide technical advice to the Ministry of Electricity in Baghdad on the development of a national energy strategy as well as improving infrastructure in southern Iraq.
	DFID also funds a team of technical advisers to help co-ordinate reconstruction projects in line with Iraqi priorities in southern Iraq, working closely with the UK military, the US Project and Contracting Office (PCO) and other donors.
	Further DFID support for essential services in Iraq has been channelled through UN agencies. Full details of DFID's contribution to reconstruction in Iraq can be found at www.dfid.gov.uk/countries/asia/iraq.asp.

Latin America

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on Latin America's progress towards reaching the millennium development goals by 2015; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: Latin America's progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) has been very uneven. Each country has made different degrees of progress towards different targets, and at widely varying speeds.
	The region appears to be on track to meet its 2015 targets for education, access to water and sanitation, and reducing hunger. In particular, rapid progress has been made towards reducing the prevalence of underweight children, universalising net enrolment in primary schools, reducing child and infant mortality, and increasing the proportion of the population with access to improved water sources. Insufficient progress has been made, however, on getting all children to actually complete primary school, halting the spread of HIV, and reversing the loss of environmental resources. Mixed progress has been made on income poverty and hunger reduction, the coverage of improved sanitation, and the various indicators of gender equity. While the proportion of the region's population living in slums has fallen slightly, absolute numbers have actually increased. Because of data limitations, it is very difficult to assess progress on improving maternal health.
	Even within countries, there tend to be marked differentials between ethnic groups and different geographic regions. Because Latin America has such high levels of inequality, it is important not to let national average figures obscure these pockets of poverty and social exclusion.

Latin America

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress his Department has made in working with the (a) Inter-American Development Bank and (b) World Bank to improve the access of poor and excluded people in Latin America to (i) local and national markets and (ii)international trade.

Gareth Thomas: DFID has recently concluded the design of a new 7.6 million programme (the Latin America Markets and International Trade programme) to help the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and World Bank to better facilitate increased access of poor people in Latin America to markets and the benefits of international trade. The design of the programme has involved extensive dialogue with these Banks as well with non-governmental organisations and other partners. It will be implemented over the next four years and will be evaluated in 200607 and at its conclusion in 200809.
	The programme will build on other existing and planned co-operation between DFID and the Banks. In Bolivia, for example, the IDB's participation in DFID's 'Making Markets Work for the Poor' project has provided lessons for a large IDB project to support access to markets of poor, small-scale farmers. In Nicaragua, DFID will be supporting greater access of poor people to markets in the eco-tourism sector in a way that is intended to influence both IDB municipal development projects as well as a World Bank competitiveness project in the country.

Latin America

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his Department's (a) bilateral and (b) ultilateral expenditure has been in each year since 1997 in (i) each country in Latin America and (ii) Latin America; and if he will ake a statement.

Hilary Benn: DFID's bilateral expenditure for prior years was as follows:
	
		 million
		
			 Country 199798 199899 19992000 200001 200102 200203 200304 
		
		
			 Costa Rica 0.30 0.21 0.12 0.18 0.12 0.07 0.12 
			 El Salvador 0.21 0.30 0.32 1.82 0.43 0.34 0.11 
			 Guatemala 0.40 0.48 0.37 0.32 0.42 0.29 0.24 
			 Honduras 1.17 2.58 2.10 1.37 1.22 1.18 0.91 
			 Mexico 4.05 3.79 2.17 1.54 0.51 0.56 0.07 
			 Nicaragua 1.01 2.00 1.15 0.64 0.61 1.37 1.03 
			 Panama 0.43 0.37 0.32 0.23 0.16 0.04  
			 Central America Regional  10.42 1.41 0.86 2.41 4.39 4.41 
			 
			 Argentina 0.14 0.16 0.13 0.01
			 Bolivia 4.40 4.36 6.33 7.59 12.68 9.32 7.06 
			 Brazil 7.02 7.48 6.39 6.78 7.00 11.24 7.06 
			 Chile 1.14 1.03 0.41  0.10 0.15 0.40 
			 Colombia 2.23 2.62 1.54 1.73 0.93 0.60 0.40 
			 Ecuador 1.52 1.10 0.75 0.54 0.28 0.36 0.19 
			 Paraguay 0.20 0.26 0.26 0.18 0.09 0.07  
			 Peru 4.07 3.73 4.51 4.30 8.17 3.40 2.82 
			 Uruguay 0.22 0.25 0.30 
			 Venezuela 0.18 0.18 0.94 0.04
			 Latin America Regional 0.35 0.85 0.17 0.22 0.53 1.45 1.37 
		
	
	Figures are not yet available for 200405. It is not possible to disaggregate funding through our regional programmes on a country basis. However, most countries in Central and Latin America will have benefited from our regional programmes.
	Multilateral institutions record funding by calendar year. The UK share of funding of grants and concessional lending by these institutions was as follows:
	
		 million
		
			 Country 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 Central American countries   
			 Costa Rica 0.28 0.89 0.38 0.32 0.29 0.25 
			 El Salvador 1.90 2.27 1.41 2.31 2.02 2.04 
			 Guatemala 2.90 3.39 3.10 3.36 2.58 3.73 
			 Honduras 5.28 5.49 5.05 4.65 12.54 1.73 
			 Mexico 1.05 1.06 1.09 1.00 3.00 1.16 
			 Nicaragua 5.79 10.71 5.94 10.65 9.88 3.31 
			 Panama 0.43 0.50 0.50 0.59 0.50 1.31 
			
			 Latin American Countries   
			 Argentina 1.50 2.56 3.63 3.25 15.71 (35)-6.07 
			 Bolivia 9.88 8.47 2.41 6.58 11. 54 0.68 
			 Brazil 3.05 4.51 5.66 8.78 14.12 11.17 
			 Chile 2.19 0.70 0.49 0.98 1.18 (35)-0.74 
			 Colombia 2.65 1.25 1.64 2.43 2.11 1.80 
			 Ecuador 0.93 1.63 1.29 1.25 0.83 1.07 
			 Paraguay 0.80 0.51 0.57 0.78 0.96 0.98 
			 Peru 2.42 9.29 3.50 4.02 3.06 1.91 
			 Uruguay 0.37 0.49 0.37 0.44 0.35 0.31 
			 Venezuela 0.48 0.85 0.51 1.52 0.79 0.90 
		
	
	(35)Debt repayments on concessional lending exceeded new grants and concessional loans to these countries.
	Figures are not yet available for calendar years 2003 and 2004.

Malarial Infection

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department has invested in research into the role fungal spores may play in combating malarial infection.

Hilary Benn: Neither DFID nor the EC have invested in research specifically into the role that fungal spores can play in combating malarial infection. Research in this area was funded in the UK by the Wellcome Trust. The possible use of fungal spores is a recent addition to the range of interventions which play a role in malaria control, of which DFID funds research into new drug development, improved health systems and bed nets totalling 2 million per year.

Medical Staff (Developing World)

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the UK's recruitment of medical staff from the developing world.

Hilary Benn: The UK is the only developed country to have implemented and reviewed policies that explicitly prevent the targeting of developing countries for recruitment of health workers. The Code of Practice for International Recruitment of Healthcare Professionals (available at http://www.dh.gov.uk), prevents the NHS from actively recruiting healthcare professionals from low and middle-income countries unless there is a government-to-government agreement in place. The code of practice was revised and strengthened last year to widen its scope to include temporary workers and to enable all healthcare organisations, including in the independent sector, to sign up to its principles.

Middle East

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the potential danger from asbestos and other materials in the rubble of settlement buildings cleared by Israel in connection with the Gaza disengagement plan; and what sources have offered funding to tackle the problem.

Hilary Benn: DFID takes very seriously the potential danger from asbestos and other materials caused by the demolition of settlement buildings by Israel during its disengagement from Gaza. We understand that a World Bank expert is in place to advise Israeli and Palestinian authorities on the issue of rubble disposal. We have no current plans to carry out our own assessment. DFID is supporting the Rapid Action Programme being drawn up by James Wolfensohn, the Quartet's Special Envoy for Disengagement.

Millennium Development Goals

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the progress made towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.

Hilary Benn: Progress towards the Millennium Development Goals varies. The world is on track to meet the poverty reduction goal. The number of people in Asia living on less than $1 a day dropped by nearly a quarter of a billion between 1990 and 2001. However progress toward the other seven goals is more varied. Sub Saharan Africa in particular will not meet any of the goals by 2015 if current rates of progress continue. The Commission for Africa chaired by the Prime Minister has set out plans for faster progress including action by African governments, and stronger support by international partners. The UK has made Africa central to our presidency of the G8 this year. We are looking for the Gleneagles G8 summit next week, and the Millennium Review Summit in September, to further strengthen international support to Africa through aid, debt relief and trade.
	The recently published United Nations Millennium Development Goals Report is a comprehensive account of progress to date on each of the goals, and how great an effort remains necessary to meet them. It can be found at http://unstats.un.org/unsd/mi/mi_dev_report. htm. DFID also published a report in January 2005 titled The UK's contributions to achieving the Millennium Development Goals'. A copy of the report is available in the House of Commons Library.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans the Government have for the further deployment of British troops to Afghanistan.

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  where the additional (a) air forces and (b) ground forces will be based when additional UK forces are deployed in Afghanistan; and in what numbers;
	(2)  when the planned reinforcement of UK forces in Afghanistan will begin.

John Reid: It remains our intention to deploy the HQ Allied Rapid Reaction Corps for nine months from May 2006 in command of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, as announced by the Prime Minister last June. The Government keep the deployment of our armed forces to Afghanistan under constant review.

Catterick Infantry Training Centre

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what the maximum capacity for recruitsis of each Catterick Infantry Training Centre battalion;
	(2)  how many recruits are under training at Catterick Infantry Training Centre (ITC) (a) broken down by divisions of infantry and (b) in each ITC battalion.

Don Touhig: The maximum capacity for recruits at the Infantry Training Centre (Catterick) (ITC(C)) is limited by the number of bed spaces available to recruits.
	Currently, these are as follows:
	
		
			 Battalion Bed spaces 
		
		
			 1st 810 
			 2nd 850 
			 3rd 710 
			 4th (For those temporarily medically unfit) 130 
		
	
	In addition, there are 400 surge bed spaces available at Wathgill Camp, some 10 miles from ITC(C).
	The numbers of recruits under training at ITC(C) as at 24 June 2005, broken down by Division, are as follows:
	
		
			 Division Number under training 
		
		
			 Kings 180 
			 Queens 190 
			 Light 130 
			 1stBattalion total 490 
			   
			 Scottish 150 
			 Prince of Wales 160 
			 2nd Battalion total 310 
			   
			 Guards 210 
			 Paras 100 
			 Gurkha 230 
			 3rd Battalion total 540 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.There are also currently 90 soldiers in 4th Battalion who are temporarily medically unfit.
	2.All data has been rounded to the nearest 10.

Catterick Infantry Training Centre

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many infantry combatant's courses at Catterick Infantry Training Centre have been cancelled over the past 12 months.

Don Touhig: In the last 12 months, three Combat Infantryman's Courses, scheduled to start on 2, 16 and 30 August 2004, were cancelled at the Infantry Training Centre (Catterick). All applicants for these courses have, however, been offered alternative courses, and none has been turned away.

Departmental Relocation

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of his Department's posts (a) have been relocated and (b) are under consideration for relocationfrom London to the deprived areas of the South East.

Don Touhig: The Ministry of Defence is implementing the Lyons Review recommendations to relocate 3,900 posts out of London and the South East by 2010. This will not exclude from consideration relocation of some posts to relatively deprived areas in the South East. So far, the Ministry of Defence has not identified any posts suitable for transfer to such areas.

First World War Medal Index Cards

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what steps he has taken to ensure that the information contained on both sides of first world war medal index cards is digitally stored; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what steps he has taken to ensure that digital copies of first world war medal index cards are of good quality; and if he will make a statement.

Don Touhig: The index cards to the first world war army medal rolls are already preserved in a microfilmed format, an activity commenced by The National Archives in 1985, and available to researchers at The National Archives (in Class WO 372) and through the National Archives website online. The microfilming process captured the information held on the front of the cards, all but a very small percentage of the backs of the cards being blank.
	The Ministry of Defence has no further administrative use for the cards and, with The National Archives, has actively sought to identify a suitable institution prepared to accept the original cards, understanding the value attached to such records by many people. The Imperial War Museum has accepted the women's cards and the remainder of the collection has been transferred into the custody of the Western Front Association.

First World War Medal Index Cards

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what institutions his Department has approached with a view to finding a home for the original first world war medal index cards; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  when he expects to make a decision on whether to retain the original first world war medal index cards; and if he will make a statement.

Don Touhig: The Ministry of Defence, together with The National Archives, has held discussions with the Imperial War Museum (IWM), the National Army Museum, the Fleet Air Arm Museum, the Women's Library and with representatives of Lancashire Military Museums. The future of the cards has also been discussed with the Western Front Association, into whose custody the majority of the cards have now been transferred. The women's cards have been passed to the IWM.

Front-line Fitness

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) male and (b) female (i) officers and (ii)other ranks have been declared unfit for front line duty in the (A) Army, (B) Royal Navy, (C) Royal Air Force and (D) Royal Marines in each year since 1997.

Adam Ingram: Data on the number of downgraded personnel are not available prior to 2002. Available statistics on medical downgrading are shown in the following table. This table shows all personnel who are not fully deployable. Some personnel are classified as having limited deployability, so may be deployed overseas and make a contribution to deployed operational capability.
	
		Trained UK regular forces(36): numbers medically downgraded by gender -- Number
		
			  1 April 2002 1 April 2003 
			  Total Male Female(37) Total Male Female(37) 
		
		
			 Officers   
			 Royal Navy(38) (39) (39) (39) 250 200 50 
			 Royal Marines(38)(5507960039) (39) (39) (41) 20 20 (41) 
			 Army(42) (39) (39) (39) (39) (39) (39) 
			 Royal Air Force 520 390 120 580 420 160 
			
			 Other Ranks   
			 Royal Navy (38) (39) (39) (39) 2,090 1,690 400 
			 Royal Marines(38) (39) (39) (39) 540 540 10 
			 Army 9,450 8,270 1,190 10,290 9,010 1,280 
			 Royal Air Force 3,350 2,690 660 3,560 2,840 720 
		
	
	
		
			  1 April 2004 1 January 2005 
			  Total Male Female(37) Total Male Female(37) 
		
		
			 Officers   
			 Royal Navy(38) 260 210 60 280 210 60 
			 Royal Marines(38)(5507960039) 20 20 (41) 10 10 (41) 
			 Army(42) (39) (39) (39) 1,020 820 200 
			 Royal Air Force 590 430 160 580 420 160 
			
			 Other Ranks   
			 Royal Navy (38) 2,370 1,910 460 2,340 1,860 480 
			 Royal Marines(38) 710 700 10 600 600 10 
			 Army 11,720 10,250 1,460 12,970 11,420 1,560 
			 Royal Air Force 3,760 2,980 780 3,860 3,040 820 
		
	
	(36)UK regular forces includes nursing services and excludes full-time reserve service personnel, Gurkhas, the home service battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment, mobilised reservists and naval activated reservists.
	(37)Female downgrades include personnel medically downgraded due to pregnancy.
	(38)Data for medically downgraded personnel within the Royal Navy and Royal Marines are not available prior to April 2003.
	(39)Denotes not available
	(40)There are no female Royal Marine officers.
	(41)Denotes not applicable
	(42)Army officer data are not available prior to August 2004 due to inaccurate classification of a high proportion of untrained and newly trained officers.
	Note:
	1.All figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.
	2.Due to the rounding methods used, figures may not always equal the sum of the parts.
	3.When rounding to the nearest 10, numbers ending in 5 have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent systematic bias.
	Source:
	DASA (Tri-Service)

Iraq

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of lessons to be learned on the provision of appropriate and adequate security arrangements by UK troops in Iraq from the experiences at Camp Breadbasket; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence constantly reviews its security arrangements in the light of lessons learned on operations. In the case of Breadbasket, the Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Mike Jackson, has appointed a senior military officer to assess what lessons might be learned. It is intended to publish the findings once all the trials of alleged deliberate abuse of Iraqis have been completed.

Iraq

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he or his officials have had with the United States about the future withdrawal of troops from Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

John Reid: I hold regular discussions with our coalition partners, including the United States, about progress in establishing a free, stable and democratic Iraq. We have made it very clear during these discussions that the United Kingdom is committed to Iraq for as long as the Iraqi Government judge that the coalition is required to provide security and to assist the Iraqi Security Forces.

Iraq

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans there are for handing back provinces within Multinational Division (South Central)'s Area of Responsibility to Iraqi security forces' command and control.

Adam Ingram: Transitional issues in Multinational Division (Centre-South) are a matter for Poland as the framework nation for this area. Coalition forces across Iraq are working closely with the Iraqi Transitional Government and the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) to ensure that the ISF have the necessary capability and capacity to take control of security in all areas of Iraq as soon as possible.

Iraq

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for operational control of areas of Multinational Division (South Central)'s Area of Responsibility once Polish forces withdraw from Iraq.

John Reid: We currently have no plans to deploy UK forces to MND (Centre-South) or other areas outside the boundaries of the UK's present area of responsibility in Multinational Division (South East).

Iraq

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many representations have been made to UK military authorities in Iraq by prisoners of war of (a) Iraqi and (b) other nationality in relation to rights under article 78 of the third Geneva convention.

Adam Ingram: The United Kingdom does not hold any Prisoners of War in Iraq. The UK holds a number of security internees at the Divisional Temporary Detention Facility (DTDF) in Southern Iraq. The conditions of internment of security internees are governed by Geneva convention IV. Article 101 of Geneva convention IV covers the rights of internees to express complaints about their conditions of internment.
	Security internees regularly make representations regarding their conditions of internment. Such representations are generally made directly with the staff at the DTDF and are not held centrally. They are taken seriously, and reasonable requests from internees, for example for changes to the menu, are accommodated where possible. Internees also have the right to make representations to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) about any issue related to their internment. The ICRC have regular and unrestricted access to the DTDF and to all internees held there.

Iraq

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the legal basis for the bombing of Iraq by RAF aircraft in the second half of 2002 was; and what proportion of ordnance was released in response to actual or imminent attack.

John Reid: holding answer 28 June 2005
	The legal basis for the operation of the No Fly Zones over Iraq was the need to avert an immediate and overwhelming humanitarian catastrophe threatened by the then Iraqi Government against the people living on the ground in those zones. This was combined with a need to monitor the effect of UNSCR 688 which demanded that Saddam Hussein cease the repression of his people. RAF aircraft attacked only targets which were an actual or imminent threat to coalition aircraft or were contributing to such a threat, namely air defence related assets. Thus, all the ordnance released was in response to an actual or imminent attack on coalition forces.

Jet Pilots (Flying Hours)

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of effects on cost of the temporary reduction in the monthly flying hours for RAF fast jet pilots from 17.5 hours to 16.5 hours during 200506.

Adam Ingram: About 20 million will be saved as a result of the temporary reduction of average monthly flying hours for RAF fast jet pilots from 17.5 to 16.5hours a month in 200506.

Jet Pilots (Flying Hours)

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to increase flying hours for RAF fast jet pilots to 17.5 hours per month.

Adam Ingram: On current plans, yes.

Joint Strike Fighter

Michael Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list, with dates, those occasions when UK Government Ministers have discussed with the US Administration issues relating to technology transfer on the Joint Strike Fighter project.

Adam Ingram: Regular discussions take place at all levels with the US Administration on all aspects of JSF including technology transfer. MOD and other Ministers continue to raise this issue during their discussions with key members of the US Administration.

Joint Strike Fighter

Michael Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether full technology transfer on the Joint Strike Fighter project is a prerequisite for the UK remaining a part of this programme; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence has set out the information access required to enable the United Kingdom to operate, sustain and upgrade the Joint Strike Fighter. Negotiations are at an early stage, and the United States understands that these issues will be a key consideration as the UK makes further commitments in the Joint Strike Fighter programme.

Joint US Operations

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in how many joint operations with US forces UK aircraft have been involved since May 2003.

Adam Ingram: British fast jet aircraft have been deployed on two major coalition operations alongside US forces in the wider middle eastOperation Telic, concentrated in Iraq, and Operation Herrick, in Afghanistan. In the conduct of these wider operations, numerous smaller operations are routinely undertaken by US and UK forces working together.

Kosovo (Troop Deployment)

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to send additional troops to Kosovo in 2005; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The United Kingdom has no plans to send additional troops to Kosovo in 2005.
	The UK contributes some 180 troops to the NATO operation in Kosovo. In addition we provide a battalion to the Balkans-wide over the horizon operational reserve force, along with Germany and Italy. Should NATO request the deployment of this asset to Kosovo the UK would respond accordingly, just as we did in March 2004 and March 2005.

Nuclear Submarines

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the incidents resulting in spillages of radioactive material during recent work on Vanguard class submarines.

Adam Ingram: On 7 and 10 June 2005, during the preliminary commissioning of the Primary Circuit Decontamination (PCD) facility, which will be used during the Long Overhaul Period (Refuel) of HMS Victorious at Devonport, two small leakages of water occurred. Some parts of the equipment had previously been used in the overhaul of another nuclear-powered submarine and, as a result, the water contained very low levels of radioactivity, barely above background levels. The water was contained within the dry dock and no radioactivity was released to the environment.
	Nuclear safety remains of paramount importance and while these incidents were minor and did not present any hazard to the workforce or to the public, they could have been avoided. For this reason, the Environment Agency served an Enforcement Notice on the nuclear site licensee, Devonport Royal Dockyard Ltd. (who trade as Devonport Management Ltd.), which required the company to review and, where appropriate, improve the arrangements for controlling the release of radioactive waste to the environment. Accordingly, DRDL suspended PCD commissioning activities. These recommenced on 23 June 2005 once the recommendations from the review had been implemented. The PCD equipment is not due to be connected to HMS Victorious for some weeks and there should therefore be no long term impact on her programme.

Official Residences

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans his Department has to dispose of official residential properties.

Don Touhig: holding answer 27 June 2005
	There are currently 37 posts worldwide that attract Official Service Residences (OSRs) status as a result of hosting and entertainment duties. Although the number of posts attracting this status is kept under constant review, there are currently no plans to change the present number of posts attracting OSR status.
	Two of the properties currently occupied by OSR status post holders have been identified for eventual disposal. The two post holders concerned would be transferred, if necessary, into alternative accommodation befitting the entitlement of the occupant and OSR status.

RAF (Staff Levels)

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the staff levels against targets are for RAF (a) aircrew, (b) weapons systems operators, (c) ground crew, (d) technicians and intelligence staff.

Adam Ingram: As at 1 May 2005 the following staff levels (trained strength) against targets (requirement) were reported.
	
		
			  Trained strength Requirement Surplus/deficit 
		
		
			 Junior officer aircrew 1,435 1,555 -120 
			 Junior officer weapons system  operators 630 660 -30 
			 Junior officer ground crew 70 60 +10 
			 Squadron leader flying branch 705 720 -15 
			 Technicians and intelligence 1,635 1,735 -100 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures are rounded to the nearest 5.

RAF Menwith Hill

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) US Army, (b) US Navy, (c) US Marines, (d) US Airforce, (e) US civilians and (f) US contractors are working at RAF Menwith Hill.

Adam Ingram: As of 1 June 2005 there were: 202 US Army personnel, 103 US Navy personnel, 34 US marines, 178 US Air Force personnel, 269 US Department of Defense civilians and 536 US contractors working at RAF Menwith Hill.

RAF Menwith Hill

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) GCHQ, (b) Ministry of Defence Police Agency, (c) Ministry of Defence Guarding Service, (d) Royal Air Force and (e) other UK personnel are working at RAF Menwith Hill.

Adam Ingram: As of 1 June 2005 there were 125 Ministry of Defence Police Agency personnel, 33 Ministry of Defence Guarding Service personnel, one Royal Air Force Officer and 231 other UK personnel working at RAF Menwith Hill. I am withholding the number of GCHQ personnel working at RAF Menwith Hill in accordance with Government policy of not commenting on intelligence matters.

RAF Menwith Hill

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the planned expansion of facilities at RAF Menwith Hill.

Adam Ingram: A master plan covering the long-term development of RAF Menwith Hill is in the process of being produced by a joint UK/US team at RAF Menwith Hill. In order to maintain the operational effectiveness of the station it will be necessary to improve some of the ageing infrastructure on the site. This may lead to the demolition of some older buildings and their replacement by expanded modern facilities that, wherever possible, will be more in keeping with the rural landscape. There are no plans to alter the station's current role and mission.

Royal Hospital Haslar

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was spent on (a) maintenance and (b) capital costs at the Royal Hospital Haslar in 200304; and what the estimate is for each year to 2008.

Don Touhig: The expenditure details requested in respect of the Royal Hospital Haslar are as follows:
	
		 million
		
			  Maintenance Capital 
		
		
			 200304 2.1 0.3 
			 200405(43) 2.1 2.0 
			 200506(43) 2.2 0.2 
			 200607(43) 2.2 0.2 
			 200708(43) 0 0 
		
	
	(43)Estimated
	The 200405 expenditure figures are shown as estimated because they are still subject to final audit by the National Audit Office. The estimate of nil expenditure for 200708 is due to the Ministry of Defence's planned withdrawal from management of the Royal Hospital Haslar site by 31 March 2007.

Work-related Stress

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many cases of work-related stress have been reported in his Department in each of the last three years; how much compensation was paid to employees in each year; how many work days were lost due to work-related stress in each year; at what cost; what procedures have been put in place to reduce work-related stress; at what cost; and if he will make a statement.

Don Touhig: Ministry of Defence records on sickness absence for civilian employees do not distinguish between work related and non-work related stress. There are no centrally collated data recorded on work-related stress for Service personnel. The information requested on the number of cases, the numbers of days lost, and the cost of those working days due to work-related stress is not therefore available.
	The compensation paid to MOD employees (service and civilian), for work- related stress, in each of the last three financial years was:
	
		
			  000 
		
		
			 200203 10,568 
			 200304 61,594 
			 200405 226,730 
		
	
	The MOD has over the last three years operated a stress policy laid down in Joint Service Publication 375. This publication can be found on the internet, at http://www.mod.uk/dsef/ohs/jsp375.htm. This policy is supplemented by procedures that were designed to assist with stress reduction when identified in an individual, these procedures are:
	Confidential advice from a member of the Occupational Welfare Service.
	Time off for medical appointments and treatment.
	Reasonable adjustments to hours of work and the nature on individual's duties
	Early involvement and support from our Occupational Health experts.
	Gradual rehabilitation including reduced hours and duties.
	A comprehensive suite of work/life policies.
	The MOD does not hold centrally records on the cost of take-up of the stress related procedures.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

A/AS Level Exams

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps her Department has taken to reduce the assessment burden at A and AS level.

Jacqui Smith: As our white paper on the 1419 reform states; we plan to move from 6 to 4-units of assessment for A level. This will reduce the assessment burden at advanced level by as much as a third and substantially reduce the cost on schools and colleges. This is purely about reducing assessment; there will be no reduction in A level content or standard.
	We have also asked QCA to consider the burden of coursework in individual subjects and the cumulative effect across A level when they accredit new specifications.

Antisocial Behaviour

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what data on antisocial behaviour is collected by her Department relating to (a) primary schools, (b) secondary schools and (c) colleges of further and higher education.

Jacqui Smith: The Department does not collect data from schools and colleges on antisocial behaviour. We do, however, collect data on exclusions from primary and secondary schools, although the numbers of exclusions do not necessarily reflect the levels of antisocial behaviour in schools. The last set of data on exclusions was published on 23 June and a copy of this publication is in the Library.
	Ofsted report that in 2003/04 behaviour was satisfactory or better in 90 per cent. of secondary schools and 99 per cent. of primary schools.
	The Department does not collect any data about antisocial behaviour from colleges of further and higher education.

Building Schools for the Future

Kitty Ussher: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of the capital costs of building new (a) schools that offer A-levels under the Building Schools for the Future programme and (b) colleges that predominantly serve 16 to 19-year-olds was financed by her Department in the last year for which figures are available.

Jacqui Smith: Information on the funding contributions to be made by local authorities to schools in the Building Schools for the Future programme is not held by the department. Local authorities are free to make their own investment decisions in accordance with their asset management plans. Total capital funding of around 2.2 billion per year to 200708 has been committed as part of Building Schools for the Future and this will benefit 47 schools that offer A-levels in the first wave (200506) of the programme. This information is not yet available for waves 2 and 3.
	The Learning and Skills Council administers funding for Further Education capital projects and contributes grant aid towards the costs. Assessments of the appropriate level of contribution are made against affordability criteria. Levels of grant support vary from around 1050 per cent. of the total project costs, with an average of 35 per cent.

Burnley College

Kitty Ussher: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if her Department will provide funding to relocate Burnley College.

Jacqui Smith: The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) determines the appropriate level of funding for capital projects in further education colleges from the funds allocated to it by the Department for capital investment in the post-16 learning and skills sector, including relocation.
	This is an operational matter for the LSC. Mark Haysom, the Council's Chief Executive, will write to my hon. Friend on this matter. A copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.
	Letter from Mark Haysom to Kitty Ussher, dated 22 June 2005
	I am writing to you following Jacqui Smith's reply of 30 June to your question regarding funding to support the relocation of Burnley College. As the Minister said this is an operational matter for the LSC.
	The LSC has been in discussion with Burnley College regarding its accommodation strategy for some time and the LSC has supported two feasibility studies into the relocation of the college to the amount of 66,000. Regular discussions are taking place involving the college and its property consultants, LSC Lancashire and the regional capital adviser to support the development of a formal proposal.
	As I am sure you will appreciate, the LSC has finite capital resources and demand for support is extremely high. To manage this the LSC has developed a set of criteria including consideration of space utilisation, value for money and affordability. This is essential if the LSC is to ensure that limited resources are used in the most cost effective manner. It is only possible to consider these criteria against detailed proposals. Such proposals have not, as yet been submitted by the college but LSC Lancashire has acknowledged the urgent need for a new building on a new site in Burnley as a priority. Once formal proposals have been received full consideration will be given to them against the above criteria.

Child Review 2004

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what progress there has been on the commitment in the Child Review 2004 to review the way in which education formulae operate in relation to schools in deprived areas;
	(2)  what the spending per pupil was in (a) the 10 per cent. least deprived authorities and (b) the 10 per cent. most deprived authorities in (i) 1997, (ii) 200203, (iii)200304 and (iv) 200405'
	(3)  what the percentage difference in spending per pupil between the 10 per cent. most deprived authorities and the 10 per cent. least deprived authorities was in (a) 1997, (b) 200203, (c) 200304 and (d) 200405.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 23 June 2005
	The Government target additional resource to authorities where there are higher numbers of pupils living in deprived circumstances because these pupils are more likely to have additional educational needs, and they will require higher levels of funding if they are to have equality of opportunity. At national level, the formula for distributing funding for schools to local authorities comprises a basic entitlement for each pupil of the same age, which is the same across the country, plus top-ups reflecting the relative needs of each area, including a top-up for each pupil with additional educational needs. (The other top-ups are for higher area costs in some areas and sparsity in others). In addition, some specific grants such as Excellence in Cities have been directed towards deprived areas.
	The funding that individual schools receive in their budget shares is a matter for local authorities through their local funding formulae. Each authority's local formula should direct resources according to the relative needs of the schools in the area and their pupils. Work on the joint HM Treasury/Department for Education and Skills review of the ways in which local education authorities fund schools for the effects of social deprivation started in the autumn of 2004. The collection of evidence from stakeholders and drafting of the report is largely complete and the review will be published when conclusions have been finalised. As stated in the Child Poverty Review document published in July 2004, those conclusions will need to recognise the priority of maintaining stability and predictability in school funding, while ensuring that funds are accurately targeted according to need.
	The table sets out the spending figures for the least and most deprived authorities for 199798, 199899, 200203 and 200304. Figures for 200405 are not yet available. The figures reflect the Government's commitment to fund adequately pupils living in deprived circumstances.
	The figures given include those for 199899 because those figures are more comparable with later years. That is because spending in 199798 reflected the transfer of monies from local government to central Government for the nursery vouchers scheme: these were returned to local government from 199899. Also, because of local government reorganisation some authorities included in the calculations have only existed in their current form since 199899.
	
		Combined LEA and school based expenditure(1) per pupil(2)Cash terms figures as reported by LEAs as at 22 June 2005
		
			  In the top 10 per cent. least deprived local authorities(3)() In the top 10 per cent. most deprived local authorities(3)() Percentage difference(4) 
			  (a) (b) (c) 
		
		
			 199798(5) 2,670 3,390 27.3 
			 199899 2,760 3,580 29.5 
			 200203 3,270 4,230 29.2 
			 200304 3,680 4,850 32.0 
			 200405(6)
		
	
	(1)The combined LEA and school based expenditure includes all expenditure on the education of children in LEA maintained establishments and pupils educated by the LEA other than in maintained establishments. This includes both school based expenditure and all elements of central LEA expenditure except youth and community and capital expenditure from revenue (CERA). Figures for 199798 and 199899 are drawn from the Revenue Outturn (RO1) spending returns which local authorities submitted to the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions. Figures for 200203 onwards are drawn from the Section 52 Outturn Statement (Table A) submitted to the DfES.
	(2)Pupil figures include all pre-primary pupils, including those under-fives funded by the LEA and being educated in private settings, pupils educated in maintained mainstream schools and other LEA maintained pupils. The pupil data for pupils attending maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools are taken from the DfES Annual Schools Census. Private voluntary and independent (PVI) under-five pupil numbers are taken from the Early Years census but are only available since 19992000. Other LEA maintained pupils includes all pupils attending schools not maintained by the authority for whom the authority is paying full tuition fees, or educated otherwise than in schools and pupil referral units under arrangements made by the authority drawn from the Form 8b submitted to the DfES. Also included as other LEA maintained pupils are all pupils attending pupil referral units who are not registered at a maintained mainstream school drawn from the DfES Annual Schools Census. All pupil numbers are adjusted to be on a financial year basis.
	(3)The AEN Index used in the allocation of Education Formula Spending Shares to LEAs in 200405 is used to identify the top and bottom 10 per cent. most deprived local authorities in 2003 and these LEAs have been compared over the years listed in the above table. The Index is calculated using the percentage of children in families in receipt of income support, job seekers allowance and working families tax credit, the percentage of primary pupils with mother tongue other than English and of secondary pupils from low achieving ethnic groups. However, due to local government reorganisation on 1 April 1998, five LEAs included in the 10 per cent. least deprived LEAs and did not exist in 199798 and have therefore been excluded for this year.
	(4)The percentage difference is defined as the difference between spending per pupil in the 10 per cent. most deprived LEAs and 10 per cent. least deprived LEAs as a percentage of spending per pupil in the 10 per cent. least deprived LEAs (i.e. (column (b)column (a))/(column (a)).
	(5)Spending in 199798 reflects the transfer of monies from local government to central Government for the nursery vouchers scheme. These were returned to local government from 199899.
	(6)Expenditure data for 200405 are not due to be collected by the Department until October 2005.
	Note:
	Unit cost figures are rounded to the nearest 10.

City Academies

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answers of 6 June 2005, Official Report, column 331W and 21 June 2005, Official Report, column 191W, on city academies, how manylessons in city academies have been inspected by Ofsted in each year since the first city academy was opened.

Jacqui Smith: The number of lessons in academies inspected by HMI since the first academy was opened is 386. This includes two formal Section 10 inspections of lessons at Greig city academy (December 2004) and Unity city academy (March 2005), as well as a number of monitoring visits. 203 lessons were inspected during 2004 and 183 lessons have been inspected, so far, for 2005.

City Academies

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans her Department has to open new academies in Coventry south.

Jacqui Smith: My officials are currently in discussion about potential academy proposals in the north east and in the centre of Coventry. There are no academy proposals in the south of the authority at this time.

City Academies

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what plans she has to evaluate the admissions policies of academies;
	(2)  what steps she is taking to ensure transparency and accountability in the admissions processes of academies.

Jacqui Smith: Academy admission policies are agreed with the Secretary of State, in consultation with the local education authority, at an early stage during the establishment of an academy. Should an academy wish to change its admissions policy, it is requiredthrough its funding agreementto seek the Secretary of State's consent to any changes, after first having sought comments on the changes from the local education authority, local schools and any other relevant admissions authority.
	Academies are also required to follow the School Admissions Code of Practice, admit pupils in accordance to the local education authority's co-ordinated admissions arrangements and take part in, and have regard to the advice of, the local education authority's Admissions Forum.
	Given all of these requirements, we consider that the current processes already ensures full accountability and transparency and do not see a need to add any further requirements or undertake any separate evaluate the admissions policies of academies.

City Academies

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on academies' obligations concerning applications from students with special educational needs.

Jacqui Smith: Academies are fully inclusive schools and admit pupils with special educational needs (SEN) on an equal basis with other schools in the area and this is reflected in their admissions policies. Although academies are independent schools, they have regard to the SEN Code of Practice (2001) and statutory guidance on inclusion. This obligation forms part of the funding agreement between each academy and the Secretary of State.

City Academies

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on teachers' representation on governing boards of academies.

Jacqui Smith: Academies are independent schools and the composition of their governing bodies, therefore, are principally a matter for the governing bodies themselves. Governance is one of the areas in which we wish academies to innovate; the Department, therefore, prescribes the makeup of academy governing bodies as little as possible.
	That said, we are keen, where appropriate, for there to be a wide and varied representation on all governing bodies, including representation from both teaching and non-teaching staff. The majority of academies, therefore, do have within their memorandum and articles of governance provision for the election or co-option of staff governors. The principals of academies also sit on the governing body.

City Academies

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps she has taken to protect teachers' rights in academies; and what further steps are planned.

Jacqui Smith: Teachers who transfer to academies from predecessor schools have their existing pay and conditions of service protected under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 (TUPE). Academies are also required to ensure that all teachers they employ have access to the Teachers Pension Scheme and to comply with the statutory provisions underlying the scheme.
	We also protect the professional standing of teachers in academies, by requiring that teachers employed at academies are qualified teachers within the meaning of the Education (School Teachers' Qualifications) (England) Regulations 2003 and that they meet the health standards set out in the Education (Health Standards)(England) Regulations 2003.

Education Funding (Birth Rates)

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has madeof the effect of falling birth rates on the funding that is required for (a) primary and (b) secondary schools.

Jacqui Smith: The Department takes account of projected pupil numbers in assessing future spending pressures on schools. The majority of costs in schools are closely related to the number of pupils, but some costs relate more to the existence and functioning of the school. Pupil numbers in primary schools have been falling for some years and in secondary schools will be falling from now on.

Education Services (Worcestershire)

Michael Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 28 June 2005 to the hon. Member for Stroud to Question ref 6816, what assessment she has made of the financial impact on Worcestershire local education authority of 443 pupils from the county receiving their schooling in Gloucestershire.

Jacqui Smith: The school funding formula distributes resources to authorities on the basis of where pupils are counted on the school roll. The 443 Worcestershire pupils who are attending Gloucestershire schools will therefore attract funding, on a per pupil basis, into Gloucestershire LEA's schools formula spending share (SFSS). Nevertheless, Worcestershire retains some residual responsibility for pupils who reside in their areae.g in relation to SEN statementingand therefore Worcestershire's LEA formula spending share (LEAFSS) includes an element of funding which is based on pupils' residence.

Grandparents

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the proportion of child care provided by grandparents.

Beverley Hughes: The Department collects information on the uptake, use of and demand for child care, including that provided by grandparents, via a series of surveys of parents and evaluation of initiatives such as Sure Start local programmes and neighbourhood nurseries.
	These studies have shown that grandparents are a significant provider of informal child care (that provided by friends and relatives) and are often the 'glue' that holds different child care arrangements together.
	The 2003 Families and Children Survey found that for children in couple families where the mother worked, the most common child care arrangementafter partner/ex-partnerwas grandparents (26 per cent.). For children in lone parent families in which the mother worked, grandparents were the most common child care arrangement used (27 per cent.). The survey also found that child care provided by grandparents declined from 36 per cent. for 0 to 2-year-old children to 24 per cent. for 11 to 13-year-olds.
	The Government recognise the major contribution that grandparents and other relatives play in child care. In order to support informal carers such as grandparents, Sure Start children's centres will provide support and drop-in facilities.

International GCSE

Quentin Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills for what reasons maintained secondary schools are not permitted to enter pupils for the international mathematics GCSE examination.

Jacqui Smith: For qualifications to be taught in the maintained sector they must be accredited by the QCA and approved for use under section 96 of the Learning and Skills Act 2000. The international GCSEs were designed primarily as qualifications for overseas candidates, and have not been put forward for accreditation. IGCSE in Mathematics therefore is not approved for use by pupils in maintained schools and is unlikely to be, since it is not currently aligned to the national curriculum programmes of study.

Leadership Group on Behaviour and Discipline

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 14 June 2005, Official Report, column 357W, on the leadership group on behaviour and discipline, what the costs were of the group's meeting in each year since it was established; and how often the group met.

Jacqui Smith: The leadership group has met once, on 21 June 2005. The accommodation cost of that meeting was some 1,260. Group members are also entitled to the costs of travel and of supply cover. The total claimed thus far under that heading is some 340.

New Schools

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 14 June 2005, Official Report, column 360W, on new school provision, what criteria her Department will use to distribute the additional money to which she refers;
	(2)  pursuant to the answer of 14 June 2005, Official Report, column 360W, on new school provision, from which organisations her Department has received representations.

Jacqui Smith: We have received bids from the majority of maintained boarding schools for the 5 million available through targeted capital funding for boarding provision. Schools were invited to bid for funding towards:
	Significant building projects to increase boarding provision;
	Significant building projects to make essential improvements in boarding accommodation to meet, for example, health and safety or commission for social care inspection or other statutory requirements;
	Significant remedial or enhancement work to boarding buildings; and the provision of equipment vital to the operation of the school.
	No decision has yet been reached on the allocation of the funding.
	In relation to new provision of small schools, we have received representations from the human scale education movement. As I made clear in my previous reply, decisions about the establishment of new schools are taken locally.

Out-of-hours Learning

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 21 June 2005, Official Report, column 1012W, on out-of-hours learning, who monitors the extent to which the guidance on homework for school pupils set out in her Department's publication, Homework: Guidance for Primary and Secondary Schools is being followed by schools.

Jacqui Smith: The homework guidance does not have statutory force; therefore it is for schools to make their own decisions in this area. Ofsted inspectors evaluate the extent to which homework is effectively used to reinforce and extend what is learned in school, and reflect their findings in their report on the school. Ofsted inspections in 2003/04 found that the use of homework was satisfactory or better in 91 per cent. of secondary schools and 97 per cent. of primary schools.

Prison Education

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the (a) 200304 budget and (b) 200304 expenditure was for prison education; and if she will make a statement.

Phil Hope: Funding for prison education and training in 200304 was 97.2 million. Expenditure was 96.3 million.

Pupil Behaviour Programmes

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what arrangements her Department has made to give professional training on issues facing gay and lesbian pupils to those delivering the programme for improving pupil behaviour.

Jacqui Smith: We are committed to countering all forms of discrimination in schools, including homophobia. To achieve that:
	The anti-bullying charter for action specifically mentions homophobic bullying;
	The comprehensive guidance we have given schools on countering bullying includes advice on dealing with homophobic bullying;
	The training materials available to staff in schools through our national secondary strategy also cover homophobic bullying;
	Secondary strategy behaviour and attendance consultants, of which there is at least one in every local education authority, and primary national strategy leads, have been closely involved in our national Make The Difference anti-bullying conferences. These conferences included a close focus on countering homophobic bullying.

Pupil Exclusions

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupil exclusions there were in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in each London borough in each of the last five years.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is shown in the following tables.
	
		Number of pupils absent for at least one half day due to unauthorised absence, 2000 to 2004maintained schools in England (excluding special schools and CTCs)
		
			  Primary 
			  2000 2001 2002 
			 LEA Number absent As percentage of pupils of compulsory school age Number absent As percentage of pupils of compulsory school age Number absent As percentage of pupils of compulsory school age 
		
		
			 London, City of 75 42.4 60 32.8 24 13.5 
			 Camden 2,633 28.3 3,503 37.5 3,596 38.5 
			 Greenwich 6,141 35.6 6,205 35.5 6,050 34.9 
			 Hackney 5,187 34.7 5,422 36.7 5,121 34.5 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 2,588 31.0 1,867 24.1 2,057 25.6 
			 Islington 4,206 32.4 4,265 32.2 4,443 33.9 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 1,721 34.9 1,592 27.6 1,663 29.2 
			 Lambeth 5,424 36.6 5,647 35.2 4,489 28.7 
			 Lewisham 7,199 39.7 8,376 42.3 7,440 38.5 
			 Southwark 7,713 42.2 7,912 41.7 8,816 43.9 
			 Tower Hamlets 8,581 49.7 8,779 49.9 8,265 48.0 
			 Wandsworth 3,035 21.1 2,841 19.9 2,680 19.0 
			 Westminster, City of 2,623 35.2 2,481 29.4 2,505 28.7 
			 Barking and Dagenham 5,758 38.2 5,602 36.9 6,124 40.6 
			 Barnet 3,826 17.9 4,070 18.4 4,393 20.0 
			 Bexley 2,286 13.4 1,861 10.2 2,098 11.4 
			 Brent 3,971 21.2 3,198 17.4 3,262 17.4 
			 Bromley 3,090 14.0 2,941 13.1 2,943 13.4 
			 Croydon 4,156 16.2 4,829 18.1 4,704 17.8 
			 Ealing 3,722 17.3 3,142 14.6 2,378 11.1 
			 Enfield 6,444 29.5 6,559 28.8 7,149 30.6 
			 Haringey 6,016 38.7 6,723 39.1 7,210 40.3 
			 Harrow 3,145 17.8 2,782 16.1 2,274 13.5 
			 Havering 1,414 7.9 1,573 8.7 1,727 9.8 
			 Hillingdon 5,292 25.8 5,330 27.8 4,875 24.4 
			 Hounslow 4,213 26.5 4,921 31.9 4,920 31.4 
			 Kingston upon Thames 1,158 12.7 907 9.4 933 9.7 
			 Merton 2,543 20.8 1,875 15.8 1,677 14.1 
			 Newham 12,319 51.0 12,254 48.0 11,584 44.6 
			 Redbridge 4,962 27.4 6,214 31.3 5,402 26.8 
			 Richmond upon Thames 778 7.5 796 7.7 896 8.7 
			 Sutton 1,636 12.7 1,839 14.6 1,794 14.1 
			 Waltham Forest 4,192 23.0 4,286 22.9 3,289 18.1 
		
	
	
		
			  Primary 
			  2003 2004 
			 LEA Number absent As percentage of pupils of compulsory school age Number absent As percentage of pupils of compulsory school age 
		
		
			 London, City of 0 0.0 25 14.2 
			 Camden 2,874 30.8 2,691 28.6 
			 Greenwich 6,674 38.1 6,254 35.9 
			 Hackney 4,943 33.5 5,023 33.9 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 1,510 19.7 1,752 22.6 
			 Islington 4,716 36.5 3,864 30.5 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 1,505 26.4 1,108 19.1 
			 Lambeth 5,348 31.7 4,996 29.9 
			 Lewisham 6,753 34.6 7,151 36.6 
			 Southwark 9,472 46.2 8,753 41.5 
			 Tower Hamlets 8,173 46.8 8,364 47.5 
			 Wandsworth 2,831 19.6 2,794 20.1 
			 Westminster, City of 2,346 26.3 1,889 21.4 
			 Barking and Dagenham 6,265 41.2 5,568 36.6 
			 Barnet 4,318 19.4 5,328 24.1 
			 Bexley 1,967 11.0 2,016 11.3 
			 Brent 3,036 16.2 3,246 17.2 
			 Bromley 3,180 14.5 4,405 20.6 
			 Croydon 5,456 21.2 5,727 22.1 
			 Ealing 2,166 10.1 2,490 11.8 
			 Enfield 7,446 32.0 6,514 27.7 
			 Haringey 7,351 40.2 6,455 35.4 
			 Harrow 1,675 9.7 1,514 8.7 
			 Havering 1,745 10.0 1,732 10.0 
			 Hillingdon 4,370 22.1 4,207 21.7 
			 Hounslow 5,539 35.7 5,373 34.9 
			 Kingston upon Thames 834 8.7 950 10.0 
			 Merton 1,640 14.9 1,355 12.1 
			 Newham 9,962 38.3 7,389 28.7 
			 Redbridge 5,377 26.7 5,745 29.1 
			 Richmond upon Thames 1,150 10.9 1,576 14.5 
			 Sutton 1,594 12.7 1,609 13.0 
			 Waltham Forest 3,500 19.6 3,759 21.3 
		
	
	
		
			  Secondary 
			  2000 2001 2002 
			 LEA Number absent As percentage of pupils of compulsory school age Number absent As percentage of pupils of compulsory school age Number absent As percentage of pupils of compulsory school age 
		
		
			 London, City of 0  0  0  
			 Camden 1,774 20.5 2,093 24.2 1,985 22.8 
			 Greenwich 2,818 22.3 3,345 26.0 3,715 28.6 
			 Hackney 1,945 28.2 2,595 33.5 2,876 35.0 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 1,268 24.5 1,302 21.0 1,375 22.1 
			 Islington 2,371 33.5 2,739 36.1 2,360 29.9 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 1,080 34.6 1,077 34.4 925 30.0 
			 Lambeth 1,418 19.9 1,674 23.4 1,746 24.3 
			 Lewisham 4,224 38.8 4,595 40.8 4,474 43.4 
			 Southwark 2,581 25.5 2,566 24.4 3,311 30.8 
			 Tower Hamlets 5,567 42.2 5,592 41.5 5,831 42.9 
			 Wandsworth 1,910 21.3 2,155 24.1 2,218 24.9 
			 Westminster, City of 3,066 43.5 1,799 25.2 2,331 32.6 
			 Barking and Dagenham 2,804 28.7 3,181 31.7 3,614 34.5 
			 Barnet 2,601 15.2 3,148 17.6 3,939 22.1 
			 Bexley 2,546 17.0 3,224 20.6 3,361 21.0 
			 Brent 1,875 15.4 1,930 15.6 1,874 15.0 
			 Bromley 2,030 11.8 3,519 19.9 3,188 17.6 
			 Croydon 2,323 14.7 2,314 13.5 2,688 15.2 
			 Ealing 2,062 15.4 2,804 20.7 2,545 18.5 
			 Enfield 5,509 31.5 6,238 35.2 5,864 32.9 
			 Haringey 2,697 26.3 2,786 30.0 4,150 37.5 
			 Harrow 862 9.7 1,111 12.2 1,097 11.9 
			 Havering 1,753 11.9 2,112 14.0 2,101 13.7 
			 Hillingdon 3,434 24.8 3,125 22.1 3,541 23.8 
			 Hounslow 1,866 13.6 1,681 12.1 2,494 18.2 
			 Kingston upon Thames 1,280 17.9 997 13.6 1,143 15.3 
			 Merton 2,168 28.5 2,156 28.9 2,106 29.2 
			 Newham 7,622 43.7 7,831 44.5 7,363 41.5 
			 Redbridge 1,654 10.8 2,072 13.7 2,800 18.2 
			 Richmond upon Thames 1,478 19.2 2,332 30.1 2,700 35.7 
			 Sutton 1,026 8.8 1,512 12.4 2,106 17.0 
			 Waltham Forest 3,476 27.5 3,715 28.9 3,749 28.5 
		
	
	
		
			  Secondary 
			  2003 2004 
			 LEA Number absent As percentage of pupils of compulsory school age Number absent As percentage of pupils of compulsory school age 
		
		
			 London, City of 0  0  
			 Camden 1,755 23.2 1,628 21.6 
			 Greenwich 4,426 33.5 4,913 36.9 
			 Hackney 2,112 26.2 2,727 37.6 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 1,492 23.7 1,580 25.6 
			 Islington 2,811 35.2 2,876 36.1 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 890 28.8 568 18.3 
			 Lambeth 1,685 23.2 870 11.5 
			 Lewisham 4,137 36.6 5,340 47.2 
			 Southwark 3,897 35.6 2,831 25.2 
			 Tower Hamlets 6,501 48.2 6,186 45.6 
			 Wandsworth 2,322 25.7 1,705 21.6 
			 Westminster, City of 2,992 41.4 3,302 44.7 
			 Barking and Dagenham 3,851 35.4 4,019 35.5 
			 Barnet 3,324 18.5 4,090 23.4 
			 Bexley 2,944 18.8 3,556 21.1 
			 Brent 2,705 19.8 2,240 16.1 
			 Bromley 4,302 23.8 3,428 18.7 
			 Croydon 4,733 26.2 3,931 21.9 
			 Ealing 2,279 16.3 2,990 21.3 
			 Enfield 6,443 35.2 8,062 42.7 
			 Haringey 4,666 41.7 4,325 38.2 
			 Harrow 1,125 12.1 1,100 11.8 
			 Havering 1,993 12.8 2,237 14.2 
			 Hillingdon 4,729 31.4 4,992 31.9 
			 Hounslow 2,317 16.5 3,074 22.0 
			 Kingston upon Thames 845 11.1 724 10.8 
			 Merton 2,295 27.8 2,073 25.2 
			 Newham 6,969 38.3 6,367 35.0 
			 Redbridge 2,630 16.6 4,203 26.3 
			 Richmond upon Thames 2,419 31.8 2,737 35.9 
			 Sutton 1,938 15.1 2,518 19.2 
			 Waltham Forest 3,316 24.9 5,012 36.6 
		
	
	''=not applicable

School Bullying

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools did not have a school bullying policy in place in 200405.

Jacqui Smith: All schools are required, under section61 of the School Standards Framework Act 1998, to have an anti-bullying policy in place.
	We are not aware of any schools which do not comply with this requirement.

School Bullying

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 7 June 2005, Official Report, column 471W, on bullying, if she will list the items of research to which she refers.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is as follows.
	Impact of bullying on truancy
	Dalziel and Henthorne (2005) Parents'/Carers' Attitudes Towards School Attendance DfES Research Report RR618
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/RR618.pdf
	Malcolm, Wilson, Davidson and Kirk (2003) Absence from School: A Study of its Causes and Effects in Seven LEAs DfES Research Report RR 424
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/RR424.pdf
	Impact of bullying on exclusions
	DfES (2005) Permanent and Fixed Period Exclusions from Schools and Exclusion Appeals in England, 2003/04 National Statistics First Release SFR 23/2005 http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000582/SFR232005.pdf
	MORI (2004) MORI Youth Survey 2004 Youth Justice Board for England and Wales http://www.youth-justice-board.gov.uk/Publications/Scripts/fileDownload.asp?file=YouthSurvey2004.pdf
	Armstrong et al (2005) Children, risk and crime: the On Track Youth Lifestyles Surveys Home Office Research Study 278
	http://uk.sitestat.com/homeoffice/homeoffice/s?rds.hors278pdfns_type=pdfns_url=%5Bhttp://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs05/hors278.pdf%5D
	Impact of bullying on participation in further and higher education
	Kidscape (1999) Kidscape Survey: Long-term Effects of Bullying
	http://www.kidscape.org.uk/assets/downloads/kslongtermeffects.pdf
	Impact of bullying on the incidence of self-harm and suicide
	Kidscape (1999) Kidscape Survey: Long-term Effects of Bullying
	http://www.kidscape.org.uk/assets/downloads/kslongtermeffects.pdf
	Rivers, (2004) Recollections of Bullying at School and their Long-Term Implications for Lesbians, Gay men and Bisexuals Crisis Vol. 25 (4)
	Tackling bullying
	Warwick, Chase and Aggleton with Sanders (2004) Homophobia, Sexual Orientation and Schools: A Review and Implications for Action DfES Research Report RR594
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/RR594.pdf
	Smith and Sumara (2003) Evaluation of the DfES Anti-Bullying Pack DfES Research Brief RBX0603
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/RBX0603.pdf
	Oliver and Candappa (2003) Tackling Bullying: Listening to the Views of Children and Young People DfES Research Report RR400
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/RR400.pdf

School Maintenance

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much was spent on maintenance and improvement of (a) primary and junior schools and (b) secondary schools in (i) West Sussex, (ii) Kent, (iii) Durham, (iv) East Riding of Yorkshire and (v) each English county in each of the last eight years.

Jacqui Smith: Expenditure on maintenance and improvement of (a) primary and junior schools and (b) secondary schools is determined by local authorities and schools in accordance with their local asset management plans.
	School capital allocations to local authorities and schools in (i) West Sussex, (ii) Kent, (iii) Durham, (iv) East Riding of Yorkshire and (v) each English county in each of the last eight years are set out in the following table:
	
		000
		
			 LEA name 199899 19992000 200001 200102 200203 200304 200405 200506 
		
		
			 Bedfordshire 6,261 7,230 16,740 38,402 18,638 18,359 20,621 16,250 
			 Buckinghamshire 9,318 13,072 21,116 14,017 20,627 27,460 26,443 21,050 
			 Cambridgeshire 11,955 12,294 23,939 22,241 27,974 38,682 33,212 24,598 
			 Cheshire 9,784 15,337 27,912 34,224 24,973 34,224 30,488 26,288 
			 Cornwall 10,910 11,621 81,513 19,029 28,239 99,602 33,273 20,003 
			 Cumbria 7,750 10,412 19,703 16,447 23,174 21,193 23,723 19,005 
			 Derbyshire 12,965 13,855 27,405 50,596 37,530 74,516 41,778 32,577 
			 Devon 13,202 16,841 27,336 26,658 46,619 122,740 56,137 24,973 
			 Dorset 8,405 7,256 13,247 11,596 21,935 22,855 16,276 18,929 
			 Durham 11,525 12,308 19,777 17,459 27,059 33,035 25,282 25,815 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 5,218 36,964 16,235 11,208 16,181 20,432 21,642 16,997 
			 East Sussex 15,093 30,258 18,149 16,146 23,932 24,402 23,721 17,703 
			 Essex 15,510 21,928 57,317 41,770 84,492 63,462 63,202 55,618 
			 Gloucestershire 7,019 12,942 26,870 24,170 27,563 28,486 36,782 30,157 
			 Hampshire 22,054 19,190 43,116 38,118 54,428 70,786 62,874 50,882 
			 Hertfordshire 14,850 15,183 36,733 26,531 47,413 43,353 60,759 63,764 
			 Kent 23,174 21,598 63,044 48,222 73,151 92,848 181,101 90,461 
			 Lancashire 19,457 36,807 42,300 36,021 55,453 62,607 44,234 38,054 
			 Leicestershire 6,503 9,232 20,957 15,831 25,401 27,582 33,834 22,867 
			 Lincolnshire 6,310 9,702 26,968 39,013 26,928 28,157 33,779 29,340 
			 Norfolk 10,815 12,089 28,303 25,472 130,152 39,292 108,282 34,457 
			 North Yorkshire 8,500 11,250 31,470 18,919 26,946 34,086 27,377 21,993 
			 Northamptonshire 15,394 12,308 26,802 22,935 56,011 130,466 36,015 25,035 
			 Northumberland 4,654 6,174 15,496 9,461 12,875 13,730 15,920 11,700 
			 Nottinghamshire 10,105 16,391 45,404 29,005 33,779 157,700 31,112 26,170 
			 Oxfordshire 11,779 13,814 24,973 26,822 33,687 33,394 36,896 36,243 
			 Somerset 8,765 9,188 18,148 17,621 20,049 19,249 21,831 18,212 
			 Staffordshire 28,435 18,549 34,145 27,479 32,905 35,529 41,071 29,194 
			 Surrey 16,986 14,101 33,113 28,529 39,836 48,336 45,928 38,278 
			 Warwickshire 6,414 7,339 17,511 14,143 23,787 34,454 25,499 19,169 
			 West Sussex 10,922 9,990 21,593 19,101 86,759 30,799 34,381 36,014 
			 Wiltshire 7,572 7,221 54,228 12,083 19,349 27,615 21,251 15,740 
			 Worcestershire 9,658 12,554 26,799 17,884 26,086 24,264 88,860 19,602 
		
	
	Revenue expenditure figures on the maintenance and improvement of schools are likely to vary from year to year depending on the unique circumstances of a particular LEA. For example, revenue expenditure will increase in years where there have been adverse weather conditions (e.g. repairing storm damage) and is also likely to vary with the number and age of the school buildings within the LEA. Revenue expenditure will also be affected by the amounts of capital allocated to each school.
	The available information is contained within the following table:
	
		Maintenance and improvement of school buildings and grounds since 1998(7)(5507960008)(9)(5507960010) -- 000
		
			  199899(7) 
			  Pre-primary and primary education Secondary education 
		
		
			 Bedfordshire 1,311 3,197 
			 Buckinghamshire 3,843 3,305 
			 Cambridgeshire 3,689 2,051 
			 Cheshire 4,729 3,451 
			 Cornwall 4,932 4,448 
			 Cumbria 4,647 3,033 
			 Derbyshire 4,999 3,745 
			 Devon 4,711 2,708 
			 Dorset 1,553 1,864 
			 Durham 4,645 3,380 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 1,854 2,143 
			 East Sussex 2,054 2,252 
			 Essex 7,248 3,007 
			 Gloucestershire 3,171 797 
			 Hampshire 7,634 5,569 
			 Hertfordshire 4,820 4,088 
			 Kent 4,097 1,958 
			 Lancashire 6,078 4,360 
			 Leicestershire 3,486 4,157 
			 Lincolnshire 2,151 1,318 
			 Norfolk 4,085 4,135 
			 North Yorkshire 3,071 3,787 
			 Northamptonshire 3,356 2,095 
			 Northumberland 2,188 2,516 
			 Nottinghamshire 3,805 4,076 
			 Oxfordshire 1,416 1,175 
			 Shropshire 1,631 1,906 
			 Somerset 896 1,598 
			 Staffordshire 2,709 3,623 
			 Surrey 2,916 1,845 
			 Warwickshire 2,499 1,644 
			 West Sussex 3,647 3,390 
			 Wiltshire 1,815 804 
			 Worcestershire 2,659 2,429 
		
	
	
		19992000 -- 000
		
			  Pre-primary Primary education Pre-primary and primary education Secondary education 
		
		
			 Bedfordshire 13 0 13 0 
			 Buckinghamshire 6 2,172 2,178 2,774 
			 Cambridgeshire 22 2,608 2,630 2,054 
			 Cheshire 21 4,495 4,516 4,486 
			 Cornwall 8 2,756 2,764 2,410 
			 Cumbria 65 1,802 1,867 2,181 
			 Derbyshire 32 2,182 2,214 1,758 
			 Devon 22 5,285 5,306 3,206 
			 Dorset 1 949 949 1,759 
			 Durham 215 2,519 2,733 2,355 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 108 1,459 1,566 1,673 
			 East Sussex 0 2,327 2,327 1,915 
			 Essex 16 5,405 5,421 5,668 
			 Gloucestershire 9 5,182 5,191 5,273 
			 Hampshire 11 6,091 6,102 5,901 
			 Hertfordshire 94 5,673 5,768 5,248 
			 Kent 3 5,903 5,907 7,209 
			 Lancashire 237 8,317 8,554 6,396 
			 Leicestershire 0 2,713 2,713 4,342 
			 Lincolnshire 40 2,773 2,813 2,199 
			 Norfolk 15 3,621 3,636 3,704 
			 North Yorkshire 19 3,389 3,408 4,067 
			 Northamptonshire 34 3,865 3,898 3,388 
			 Northumberland 2 2,349 2,350 2,699 
			 Nottinghamshire 43 5,166 5,210 7,042 
			 Oxfordshire 56 941 997 468 
			 Shropshire 0 1,005 1,006 842 
			 Somerset 3 623 626 1,269 
			 Staffordshire 8 2,686 2,694 3,321 
			 Surrey 35 3,589 3,625 2,896 
			 Warwickshire 204 3,181 3,386 3,437 
			 West Sussex 15 1,576 1,591 1,748 
			 Wiltshire 0 1,802 1,802 1,687 
			 Worcestershire 15 1,575 1,590 2,142 
		
	
	
		200001 -- 000
		
			  Pre-primary Primary education Pre-primary and primary education Secondary education 
		
		
			 Bedfordshire 0 309 309 598 
			 Buckinghamshire 13 2,895 2,908 2,802 
			 Cambridgeshire 106 3,260 3,366 2,631 
			 Cheshire 6 4,426 4,431 3,359 
			 Cornwall 9 1,038 1,047 1,060 
			 Cumbria 68 3,638 3,706 3,899 
			 Derbyshire 39 3,045 3,084 2,877 
			 Devon 26 5,219 5,245 3,202 
			 Dorset 1 1,498 1,499 2,192 
			 Durham 259 3,033 3,292 2,268 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 51 2,088 2,139 2,269 
			 East Sussex 0 2,173 2,173 2,452 
			 Essex 9 8,256 8,265 8,692 
			 Gloucestershire 15 3,794 3,809 5,287 
			 Hampshire 26 6,024 6,050 6,221 
			 Hertfordshire 107 5,586 5,693 5,405 
			 Kent 32 4,924 4,956 11,351 
			 Lancashire 178 9,122 9,300 6,347 
			 Leicestershire 2 3,276 3,278 4,822 
			 Lincolnshire 25 2,783 2,808 2,452 
			 Norfolk 23 3,713 3,736 4,810 
			 North Yorkshire 74 3,006 3,081 3,740 
			 Northamptonshire 13 5,635 5,648 5,804 
			 Northumberland 11 2,596 2,607 2,986 
			 Nottinghamshire 34 3,857 3,891 4,720 
			 Oxfordshire 41 263 304 90 
			 Shropshire 0 980 980 863 
			 Somerset 3 1,181 1,183 2,092 
			 Staffordshire 10 3,003 3,013 3,341 
			 Surrey 63 5,270 5,333 3,281 
			 Warwickshire 242 2,491 2,734 2,484 
			 West Sussex 33 3,539 3,572 1,806 
			 Wiltshire 0 1,515 1,515 1,516 
			 Worcestershire 4 123 127 143 
		
	
	
		200102 -- 000
		
			  Pre-primary Primary education Pre-primary and primary education Secondary education 
		
		
			 Bedfordshire 8 2,986 2,995 2,973 
			 Buckinghamshire 12 2,767 2,779 3,045 
			 Cambridgeshire 41 2,863 2,904 2,461 
			 Cheshire 13 4,593 4,606 3,595 
			 Cornwall 796 2,555 3,351 2,652 
			 Cumbria 46 4,840 4,886 6,889 
			 Derbyshire 56 2,802 2,858 2,571 
			 Devon 16 6,088 6,104 4,181 
			 Dorset 1 1,676 1,677 2,421 
			 Durham 226 3,217 3,443 2,534 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 24 2,894 2,918 3,730 
			 East Sussex 3 2,539 2,541 3,101 
			 Essex 44 9,795 9,839 11,128 
			 Gloucestershire 138 3,297 3,435 5,342 
			 Hampshire 12 4,267 4,279 4,257 
			 Hertfordshire 83 7,536 7,619 6,162 
			 Kent 27 7,110 7,137 9,377 
			 Lancashire 217 10,540 10,757 7,721 
			 Leicestershire 10 3,387 3,396 5,794 
			 Lincolnshire 5 1,585 1,591 2,077 
			 Norfolk 11 4,839 4,850 4,119 
			 North Yorkshire 79 3,024 3,103 3,243 
			 Northamptonshire 11 4,275 4,286 3,700 
			 Northumberland 1 2,561 2,562 2,854 
			 Nottinghamshire 16 3,815 3,831 4,886 
			 Oxfordshire 84 487 571 1,642 
			 Shropshire 9 1,004 1,013 945 
			 Somerset 3 2,252 2,255 2,002 
			 Staffordshire 54 3,681 3,735 3,598 
			 Surrey 10 4,767 4,777 4,697 
			 Warwickshire 74 3,042 3,116 3,693 
			 West Sussex 41 3,325 3,365 1,578 
			 Wiltshire 0 980 980 716 
			 Worcestershire 6 2,350 2,356 3,499 
		
	
	
		000
		
			  200203(7) 200304(7) 
			  Primary schools Secondary schools Primary schools Secondary schools 
		
		
			 Bedfordshire 1,526 2,607 1,473 2,272 
			 Buckinghamshire 2,569 3,167 3,106 4,350 
			 Cambridgeshire 2,539 1,884 2,731 2,552 
			 Cheshire 3,621 3,201 3,446 3,783 
			 Cornwall 2,987 3,539 2,973 3,627 
			 Cumbria 4,147 3,272 2,173 2,946 
			 Derbyshire 3,070 2,310 2,989 2,497 
			 Devon 3,426 2,874 3,415 2,550 
			 Dorset 1,594 1,972 1,589 2,251 
			 Durham 2,578 2,089 2,149 2,948 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 1,440 1,291 1,191 1,045 
			 East Sussex 1,721 1,865 1,453 1,879 
			 Essex 8,475 8,474 8,560 8,121 
			 Gloucestershire 2,284 2,755 2,510 2,667 
			 Hampshire 7,405 6,545 7,757 6,943 
			 Hertfordshire 5,026 5,427 4,308 5,241 
			 Kent 5,949 8,228 5,639 7,754 
			 Lancashire 11,262 7,079 12,261 7,576 
			 Leicestershire 3,298 4,574 3,298 4,106 
			 Lincolnshire 2,563 3,010 2,391 2,771 
			 Norfolk 6,452 4,954 6,870 5,339 
			 North Yorkshire 3,638 3,846 3,683 3,690 
			 Northamptonshire 3,544 3,084 3,503 3,494 
			 Northumberland 1,277 2,315 1,460 2,491 
			 Nottinghamshire 3,452 4,273 3,551 4,130 
			 Oxfordshire 3,418 3,960 3,291 4,204 
			 Shropshire 964 872 986 858 
			 Somerset 2,902 3,800 2,780 3,363 
			 Staffordshire 2,572 3,050 2,311 3,073 
			 Surrey 5,972 5,883 6,762 6,330 
			 Warwickshire 2,746 2,560 2,947 2,585 
			 West Sussex 3,884 3,889 4,183 4,311 
			 Wiltshire 2,330 2,363 2,049 2,553 
			 Worcestershire 2,241 3,674 2,037 3,106 
		
	
	(7)Denotes the change of source from LEAs education Revenue Outturn Statements submitted to ODPM to Section 52 Outturn Statements in 199900, and to the review of Section 52 categories in 200203 following the introduction of Consistent Financial Reporting (CFR) to schools.
	(8)Figures for 199899 to 200102 cover the repair and maintenance of buildings, fixed plant and grounds which includes all expenditure on non-capital building works, including repairs and maintenance of buildings, and non-capital expenditure on fixed plant and grounds. Figures for 200203 and 200304 are the combination of the revenue expenditure on building (including fixed plant) maintenance and improvement and grounds maintenance and improvement categories (CFR categories E12+E13). Any capital expenditure on school buildings is not included in this table.
	(9)Figures are provided for the six years to 200304, the latest year for which data are available. Data for 199798 and earlier are not available for comparable areas due to local government re-organisation. Figures for 200203 onwards will not be directly comparable with figures for earlier years as figures for 200203 and 200304 are not available and have therefore been excluded for these two years. Also, for some LEAs, expenditure that had previously been attributed to the schools sectors was reported within the LEA part of the Section 52 form in 200203 and 200304 and would therefore be excluded from the totals for
	(10)Figures are rounded up to the nearest 1,000.

School Maintenance

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much funding is estimated as necessary for buildings maintenance in 200506 in (a) each school in Brent and (b) in each London borough.

Jacqui Smith: Decisions on how much funding is needed for buildings maintenance in each school in Brent and each London borough are not made centrally but by local authorities and schools in accordance with their local asset management plans.

School Meals

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she expects the School Meal Review Panel to consider the nutritional standards that apply to school breakfasts.

Jacqui Smith: The Department for Education and Skills will publish draft school lunch standards for public consultation this September, and the final version will become mandatory from September 2006. Once the draft school lunch standards have been published the panel will consider how the standards could be extended to apply to other food and drink provided on school premises.

Schools (Unauthorised Absence)

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils in each London borough missed at least half a day due to unauthorised absence in (a) primary schools, (b) secondary schools, (c) special schools and (d) pupil referral units, expressed as a percentage of pupils of compulsory school age in each of the last five years.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested on the number of pupils with unauthorised absence in London boroughs for secondary, primary and special schools is shown in the following tables. Unauthorised absence includes all unexplained or unjustified absences, such as lateness, holidays during term time not authorised by the school, absence where reason is not yet established and truancy. The department does not currently collect absence data from pupil referral units, although we plan to do so in future, so this information cannot yet be provided.
	
		Number of pupils absent for at least one half day due to unauthorised absence, 2000 to 2004maintained schools in England (excluding CTCs)
		
			  Primary 
			  2000 2001 2002 
			 LEA Number absent As percentage of pupils of compulsory school age Number absent As percentage of pupils of compulsory school age Number absent As percentage of pupils of compulsory school age 
		
		
			 London, City of 75 42.4 60 32.8 24 13.5 
			 Camden 2,633 28.3 3,503 37.5 3,596 38.5 
			 Greenwich 6,141 35.6 6,205 35.5 6,050 34.9 
			 Hackney 5,187 34.7 5,422 36.7 5,121 34.5 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 2,588 31.0 1,867 24.1 2,057 25.6 
			 Islington 4,206 32.4 4,265 32.2 4,443 33.9 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 1,721 34.9 1,592 27.6 1,663 29.2 
			 Lambeth 5,424 36.6 5,647 35.2 4,489 28.7 
			 Lewisham 7,199 39.7 8,376 42.3 7,440 38.5 
			 Southwark 7,713 42.2 7,912 41.7 8,816 43.9 
			 Tower Hamlets 8,581 49.7 8,779 49.9 8,265 48.0 
			 Wandsworth 3,035 21.1 2,841 19.9 2,680 19.0 
			 Westminster, City of 2,623 35.2 2,481 29.4 2,505 28.7 
			 Barking and Dagenham 5,758 38.2 5,602 36.9 6,124 40.6 
			 Barnet 3,826 17.9 4,070 18.4 4,393 20.0 
			 Bexley 2,286 13.4 1,861 10.2 2,098 11.4 
			 Brent 3,971 21.2 3,198 17.4 3,262 17.4 
			 Bromley 3,090 14.0 2,941 13.1 2,943 13.4 
			 Croydon 4,156 16.2 4,829 18.1 4,704 17.8 
			 Ealing 3,722 17.3 3,142 14.6 2,378 11.1 
			 Enfield 6,444 29.5 6,559 28.8 7,149 30.6 
			 Haringey 6,016 38.7 6,723 39.1 7,210 40.3 
			 Harrow 3,145 17.8 2,782 16.1 2,274 13.5 
			 Havering 1,414 7.9 1,573 8.7 1,727 9.8 
			 Hillingdon 5,292 25.8 5,330 27.8 4,875 24.4 
			 Hounslow 4,213 26.5 4,921 31.9 4,920 31.4 
			 Kingston upon Thames 1,158 12.7 907 9.4 933 9.7 
			 Merton 2,543 20.8 1,875 15.8 1,677 14.1 
			 Newham 12,319 51.0 12,254 48.0 11,584 44.6 
			 Redbridge 4,962 27.4 6,214 31.3 5,402 26.8 
			 Richmond upon Thames 778 7.5 796 7.7 896 8.7 
			 Sutton 1,636 12.7 1,839 14.6 1,794 14.1 
			 Waltham Forest 4,192 23.0 4,286 22.9 3,289 18.1 
		
	
	
		
			  2003 2004 
			  Number absent As percentage of pupils of compulsory school age Number absent As percentage of pupils of compulsory school age 
		
		
			 London, City of 0 0.0 25 14.2 
			 Camden 2,874 30.8 2,691 28.6 
			 Greenwich 6,674 38.1 6,254 35.9 
			 Hackney 4,943 33.5 5,023 33.9 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 1,510 19.7 1,752 22.6 
			 Islington 4,716 36.5 3,864 30.5 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 1,505 26.4 1,108 19.1 
			 Lambeth 5,348 31.7 4,996 29.9 
			 Lewisham 6,753 34.6 7,151 36.6 
			 Southwark 9,472 46.2 8,753 41.5 
			 Tower Hamlets 8,173 46.8 8,364 47.5 
			 Wandsworth 2,831 19.6 2,794 20.1 
			 Westminster, City of 2,346 26.3 1,889 21.4 
			 Barking and Dagenham 6,265 41.2 5,568 36.6 
			 Barnet 4,318 19.4 5,328 24.1 
			 Bexley 1,967 11.0 2,016 11.3 
			 Brent 3,036 16.2 3,246 17.2 
			 Bromley 3,180 14.5 4,405 20.6 
			 Croydon 5,456 21.2 5,727 22.1 
			 Ealing 2,166 10.1 2,490 11.8 
			 Enfield 7,446 32.0 6,514 27.7 
			 Haringey 7,351 40.2 6,455 35.4 
			 Harrow 1,675 9.7 1,514 8.7 
			 Havering 1,745 10.0 1,732 10.0 
			 Hillingdon 4,370 22.1 4,207 21.7 
			 Hounslow 5,539 35.7 5,373 34.9 
			 Kingston upon Thames 834 8.7 950 10.0 
			 Merton 1,640 14.9 1,355 12.1 
			 Newham 9,962 38.3 7,389 28.7 
			 Redbridge 5,377 26.7 5,745 29.1 
			 Richmond upon Thames 1,150 10.9 1,576 14.5 
			 Sutton 1,594 12.7 1,609 13.0 
			 Waltham Forest 3,500 19.6 3,759 21.3 
		
	
	
		Number of pupils ABSmaintained schools
		
			  Secondary 
			  2000 2001 2002 
			 LEA Number absent As percentage of compulsory school age Number absent As percentage of compulsory school age Number absent As percentage of compulsory school age 
		
		
			 London, City of 0 n/a 0 n/a 0 n/a 
			 Camden 1,774 20.5 2,093 24.2 1,985 22.8 
			 Greenwich 2,818 22.3 3,345 26.0 3,715 28.6 
			 Hackney 1,945 28.2 2,595 33.5 2,876 35.0 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 1,268 24.5 1,302 21.0 1,375 22.1 
			 Islington 2,371 33.5 2,739 36.1 2,360 29.9 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 1,080 34.6 1,077 34.4 925 30.0 
			 Lambeth 1,418 19.9 1,674 23.4 1,746 24.3 
			 Lewisham 4,224 38.8 4,595 40.8 4,474 43.4 
			 Southwark 2,581 25.5 2,566 24.4 3,311 30.8 
			 Tower Hamlets 5,567 42.2 5,592 41.5 5,831 42.9 
			 Wandsworth 1,910 21.3 2,155 24.1 2,218 24.9 
			 Westminster, City of 3,066 43.5 1,799 25.2 2,331 32.6 
			 Barking and Dagenham 2,804 28.7 3,181 31.7 3,614 34.5 
			 Barnet 2,601 15.2 3,148 17.6 3,939 22.1 
			 Bexley 2,546 17.0 3,224 20.6 3,361 21.0 
			 Brent 1,875 15.4 1,930 15.6 1,874 15.0 
			 Bromley 2,030 11.8 3,519 19.9 3,188 17.6 
			 Croydon 2,323 14.7 2,314 13.5 2,688 15.2 
			 Ealing 2,062 15.4 2,804 20.7 2,545 18.5 
			 Enfield 5,509 31.5 6,238 35.2 5,864 32.9 
			 Haringey 2,697 26.3 2,786 30.0 4,150 37.5 
			 Harrow 862 9.7 1,111 12.2 1,097 11.9 
			 Havering 1,753 11.9 2,112 14.0 2,101 13.7 
			 Hillingdon 3,434 24.8 3,125 22.1 3,541 23.8 
			 Hounslow 1,866 13.6 1,681 12.1 2,494 18.2 
			 Kingston upon Thames 1,280 17.9 997 13.6 1,143 15.3 
			 Merton 2,168 28.5 2,156 28.9 2,106 29.2 
			 Newham 7,622 43.7 7,831 44.5 7,363 41.5 
			 Redbridge 1,654 10.8 2,072 13.7 2,800 18.2 
			 Richmond upon Thames 1,478 19.2 2,332 30.1 2,700 35.7 
			 Sutton 1,026 8.8 1,512 12.4 2,106 17.0 
			 Waltham Forest 3,476 27.5 3,715 28.9 3,749 28.5 
		
	
	
		
			  2003 2004 
			  Number absent As percentage of compulsory school age Number absent As percentage of compulsory school age 
		
		
			 London, City of 0 n/a 0 n/a 
			 Camden 1,755 23.2 1,628 21.6 
			 Greenwich 4,426 33.5 4,913 36.9 
			 Hackney 2,112 26.2 2,727 37.6 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 1,492 23.7 1,580 25.6 
			 Islington 2,811 35.2 2,876 36.1 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 890 28.8 568 18.3 
			 Lambeth 1,685 23.2 870 11.5 
			 Lewisham 4,137 36.6 5,340 47.2 
			 Southwark 3,897 35.6 2,831 25.2 
			 Tower Hamlets 6,501 48.2 6,186 45.6 
			 Wandsworth 2,322 25.7 1,705 21.6 
			 Westminster, City of 2,992 41.4 3,302 44.7 
			 Barking and Dagenham 3,851 35.4 4,019 35.5 
			 Barnet 3,324 18.5 4,090 23.4 
			 Bexley 2,944 18.8 3,556 21.1 
			 Brent 2,705 19.8 2,240 16.1 
			 Bromley 4,302 23.8 3,428 18.7 
			 Croydon 4,733 26.2 3,931 21.9 
			 Ealing 2,279 16.3 2,990 21.3 
			 Enfield 6,443 35.2 8,062 42.7 
			 Haringey 4,666 41.7 4,325 38.2 
			 Harrow 1,125 12.1 1,100 11.8 
			 Havering 1,993 12.8 2,237 14.2 
			 Hillingdon 4,729 31.4 4,992 31.9 
			 Hounslow 2,317 16.5 3,074 22.0 
			 Kingston upon Thames 845 11.1 724 10.8 
			 Merton 2,295 27.8 2,073 25.2 
			 Newham 6,969 38.3 6,367 35.0 
			 Redbridge 2,630 16.6 4,203 26.3 
			 Richmond upon Thames 2,419 31.8 2,737 35.9 
			 Sutton 1,938 15.1 2,518 19.2 
			 Waltham Forest 3,316 24.9 5,012 36.6 
		
	
	n/a=not applicable
	
		Number of pupils ABSmaintained schools
		
			  Specials 
			  2000 2001 2002 
			  Number absent As percentage of compulsory school age Number absent As percentage of compulsory school age Number absent As percentage of compulsory school age 
		
		
			 London, City of 0 n/a 0 n/a 0 n/a 
			 Camden 115 44.4 81 29.3 99 37.1 
			 Greenwich 231 42.1 243 46.3 205 44.5 
			 Hackney 181 56.9 223 60.1 175 46.5 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 84 28.5 79 26.3 68 22.8 
			 Islington 89 37.9 116 51.6 24 11.3 
			 Kensington and Chelsea (11); (11); 0 0.0 (11); (11); 
			 Lambeth 207 34.6 215 43.4 259 45.2 
			 Lewisham 242 47.2 275 54.5 250 48.6 
			 Southwark 131 32.0 214 50.6 218 48.4 
			 Tower Hamlets 113 26.0 104 26.0 113 30.2 
			 Wandsworth 233 40.0 254 44.3 225 40.1 
			 Westminster, City of 66 48.2 33 25.4 31 24.2 
			 Barking and Dagenham 0 0.0 3 1.8 6 3.4 
			 Barnet 77 28.3 77 28.7 64 23.1 
			 Bexley 64 16.0 82 21.0 61 15.4 
			 Brent 80 21.6 70 18.0 62 16.6 
			 Bromley 77 19.7 158 39.6 63 16.2 
			 Croydon 197 39.1 199 39.7 148 28.8 
			 Ealing 96 21.1 74 16.2 94 21.2 
			 Enfield 124 27.1 144 32.7 154 35.6 
			 Haringey 136 40.0 89 28.1 87 30.6 
			 Harrow 71 38.8 44 23.2 74 38.9 
			 Havering 9 3.4 19 9.0 44 20.9 
			 Hillingdon 106 33.1 152 35.4 121 27.4 
			 Hounslow 109 28.8 85 23.2 89 23.7 
			 Kingston upon Thames 48 20.2 70 28.0 67 25.9 
			 Merton 95 39.6 92 38.7 97 39.8 
			 Newham 63 50.8 27 23.7 17 15.0 
			 Redbridge 160 37.0 158 37.9 189 46.6 
			 Richmond upon Thames 26 15.5 20 13.3 25 17.6 
			 Sutton 137 50.9 111 46.1 105 42.0 
			 Waltham Forest 168 28.5 119 20.6 110 19.0 
		
	
	
		
			  2003 2004 
			  Number absent As percentage of compulsory school age Number absent As percentage of compulsory school age 
		
		
			 London, City of 0 n/a 0 n/a 
			 Camden 62 23.8 57 20.3 
			 Greenwich 224 52.0 222 52.9 
			 Hackney 222 62.9 188 53.0 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 69 26.0 70 26.0 
			 Islington 10 4.6 6 2.7 
			 Kensington and Chelsea (11) (11) (11) (11) 
			 Lambeth 150 38.6 215 39.7 
			 Lewisham 212 39.0 234 45.6 
			 Southwark 209 47.1 243 55.5 
			 Tower Hamlets 106 31.7 101 32.3 
			 Wandsworth 255 44.9 239 43.7 
			 Westminster, City of (11) (11) 0 0.0 
			 Barking and Dagenham 8 4.8 (11) (11) 
			 Barnet 46 15.6 90 29.6 
			 Bexley 87 22.0 118 28.6 
			 Brent 46 12.5 33 9.4 
			 Bromley 75 18.0 84 19.6 
			 Croydon 216 39.6 138 25.6 
			 Ealing 81 19.2 73 16.7 
			 Enfield 114 25.4 131 29.2 
			 Haringey 81 27.4 93 32.1 
			 Harrow 94 44.5 73 33.8 
			 Havering 46 20.5 55 24.3 
			 Hillingdon 130 29.7 113 25.5 
			 Hounslow 90 24.2 93 25.1 
			 Kingston upon Thames 37 15.0 23 10.3 
			 Merton 92 37.2 71 30.2 
			 Newham 57 42.9 74 55.2 
			 Redbridge 169 41.5 167 42.6 
			 Richmond upon Thames 21 14.8 23 17.2 
			 Sutton 168 59.8 125 46.1 
			 Waltham Forest 112 20.4 71 12.4 
		
	
	n/a=not applicable
	(11)not available due to low number

Sixth Forms

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 14 June 2005, Official Report, column 368W, on sixth forms, when the guidance to which she refers will be published.

Jacqui Smith: We plan to issue the guidance for consultation with stakeholder representative groups later in the summer.

Sixth Forms

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 14 June 2005, Official Report, columns 368W and 220W, who the national and local stakeholders are, in addition to the Learning and Skills Council and local education authorities.

Jacqui Smith: Officials have spoken about the establishment of school sixth forms to a very wide range of national and local stakeholders in the context of the five-year strategy and informally in the normal course of business. These include school, college and work-based learning providers and a variety of representative bodies.

Sixth Forms

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 14 June 2005, Official Report, column 368W, on sixth forms, if she will make a statement on the outcome of the discussions to which she refers.

Jacqui Smith: Discussions with stakeholders have informed the development of the guidance on the organisation of 1619 provision that we plan to issue for consultation with stakeholder representative bodies later in the summer.

State Boarding Schools

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the cost was of building repairs for state boarding schools in the last year for which figures are available.

Jacqui Smith: The Department does not hold information on the total cost of repairs carried out to school premises.
	Revenue funding and the bulk of schools capital funding is allocated by formula to authorities and schools so that they can address their local priorities, including premises maintenance. Prioritisation of need should be through an open, rigorous and consultative asset management planning process, based on assessments of the needs of all schools.
	Central Government capital support for investment in schools has increased from under 700 million in 199697 to 5.5 billion this year and will rise further to 6.3 billion by 200708. Progress is being made year-by-year in improving the quality of the school building stock.

Sure Start

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate she has made of whether local authorities have sufficient capital funding to meet targets for phase two Sure Start children's centres.

Beverley Hughes: A total of 947 million funding has been made available to local authorities in the second phase of the children's centres programme. This includes 405,523,772 capital funding. We are confident that the individual capital allocations given to local authorities are sufficient for them to achieve the children centres targets we have set for them in the period 200608. The funding has been formulated on the premise that children's centres will grow out of a range of existing provision such as Sure Start local programmes, neighbourhood nurseries and primary schools.

Teachers

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teachers have been the victims of offences of violence in each of the last 10 years.

Jacqui Smith: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested and place a copy of my reply in the House of Commons Library.

Teachers

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teachers have been assaulted by (a) pupils and (b) parents in (i) each London borough and (ii) London in each of the last five years.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Teachers

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time teachers there were in each of the last five years in each London borough; and if she will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: The following tables provide the information requested for January of each year from 1997 to 2004, the latest information available at LEA level.
	
		Number of full-time teachers
		
			  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 City of London 10 20 10 20 10 
			 Camden 1,190 1,240 1,400 1,300 1,260 
			 Greenwich 1,810 1,820 1,870 1,900 1,950 
			 Hackney 1,400 1,370 1,350 1,470 1,400 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 890 910 930 970 1,020 
			 Islington 1,220 1,180 1,310 1,250 1,310 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 580 600 610 640 620 
			 Lambeth 1,400 1,420 1,510 1,470 1,510 
			 Lewisham 1,640 1,730 1,800 1,780 1,740 
			 Southwark 1,710 1,810 1,900 1,940 1,900 
			 Tower Hamlets 1,990 1,980 2,010 2,070 2,060 
			 Wandsworth 1,500 1,530 1,570 1,550 1,570 
			 Westminster 1,090 1,140 1,160 1,160 1,160 
			 Barking and Dagenham 1,400 1,420 1,460 1,510 1,610 
			 Barnet 2,360 2,360 2,480 2,490 2,450 
			 Bexley 1,790 1,870 1,980 1,920 1,940 
			 Brent 1,960 1,940 2,000 2,170 2,190 
			 Bromley 2,150 2,270 2,350 2,290 2,320 
			 Croydon 2,470 2,460 2,530 2,640 2,610 
			 Baling 2,080 2,050 2,130 2,060 2,120 
			 Enfield 2,430 2,480 2,430 2,540 2,590 
			 Haringey 1,720 1,730 1,740 1,750 1,740 
			 Harrow 1,190 1,310 1,310 1,340 1,350 
			 Havering 1,720 1,760 1,840 1,870 1,870 
			 Hillingdon 1,980 2,010 2,060 2,060 2,160 
			 Hounslow 1,780 1,860 1,830 1,840 1,940 
			 Kingston upon Thames 930 950 960 1,050 1,010 
			 Merton 1,030 1,090 1,100 1,120 1,070 
			 Newham 2,270 2,320 2,420 2,460 2,670 
			 Red bridge 2,020 2,170 2,190 2,240 2,280 
			 Richmond upon Thames 860 860 880 940 890 
			 Sutton 1,330 1,380 1,420 1,540 1,500 
			 Waltham Forest 1,910 1,800 1,910 1,760 1,930 
			 London 51,800 52,810 54,440 55,080 55,750 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
	Source:
	Annual survey of teachers in service and teacher vacancies.
	
		Full-time equivalent number of part-time teachers
		
			  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 City of London (12) 10 (12) (12) (12) 
			 Camden 150 200 160 150 160 
			 Greenwich 230 210 210 240 240 
			 Hackney 110 110 120 140 140 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 110 100 80 90 110 
			 Islington 130 120 150 130 140 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 60 60 60 80 70 
			 Lambeth 220 160 160 160 160 
			 Lewisham 240 250 270 270 270 
			 Southwark 140 160 170 150 130 
			 Tower Hamlets 260 200 210 240 230 
			 Wandsworth 190 200 200 200 200 
			 Westminster 100 120 140 150 130 
			 Barking and Dagenham 70 60 60 70 70 
			 Barnet 350 390 340 360 350 
			 Bexley 130 160 180 160 170 
			 Brent 150 170 160 200 160 
			 Bromley 180 270 290 300 300 
			 Croydon 410 360 330 230 280 
			 Ealing 170 170 190 250 190 
			 Enfield 310 190 230 280 300 
			 Haringey 130 120 150 150 170 
			 Harrow 200 180 190 210 210 
			 Havering 170 190 200 190 220 
			 Hillingdon 150 170 170 170 200 
			 Hounslow 160 160 180 170 170 
			 Kingston upon Thames 120 120 110 120 140 
			 Merton 120 120 120 130 120 
			 Newham 80 100 100 110 120 
			 Red bridge 180 210 190 230 230 
			 Richmond upon Thames 170 180 210 150 160 
			 Button 150 150 160 170 200 
			 Waltham Forest 150 140 110 180 150 
			 London 5,500 5,480 5,610 5,840 5,850 
		
	
	(12)Nil or less than 5.
	Note:
	Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
	Source:
	Annual survey of teachers in service and teacher vacancies.

Teachers

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) full-time teachers and (b) full-time equivalent teachers and (c) full-time equivalent teaching assistants there were in the London borough of Sutton in (i) 1985 and (ii) the last year for which figures are available.

Jacqui Smith: The following table provides the available information. The numbers of teaching assistants for 1985 are not availablecollection of data comparable with those for 2004 did not commence until 1995 and these have been included in the table.
	
		Teacher and teaching assistant numbers, Sutton LEA
		
			  1985 1995 2004 
		
		
			 Teachers
			 Full-time(13) 1,140 1,230 1,440 
			 Full-time equivalent(14) 1,210 1,360 1,700 
			 Teaching assistants 
			 Full-time equivalent n/a 120 370 
		
	
	n/a=not available
	(13)Includes full-time regular qualified teachers.
	(14)Includes the full-time equivalent of all regular teachers.
	Sources:
	Annual survey of teachers in service and teacher vacancies (form 618g) for teacher numbers.
	Annual School Census for teaching assistants.

Teachers

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the Teaching and Learning Responsibility Payments Scheme.

Jacqui Smith: The new Teaching and Learning Responsibility payments for teachers, which replace current management allowances from 1 January 2006, will make a positive contribution to improving the performance of our schools by focusing payments to teachers for additional responsibilities on matters related to the teaching and learning of pupils, rather than those management functions which do not require a qualified teacher.

Teachers

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether the Teaching and Learning Responsibility Scheme increases the pay of teachers with managerial responsibilities.

Jacqui Smith: It will be for schools to determine the levels of Teaching and Learning Responsibility payments awarded to teachers. Schools will take these decisions in the context of the financial parameters for the award of the two levels of Teaching and Learning Responsibility payments, the criterion and factors for the award of TLRs and the decisions they have made on their school staffing structure.

Teachers

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how her Department ensures that teachers who undertake managerial responsibilities are appropriately remunerated.

Jacqui Smith: The school teachers' pay and conditions document provides the framework for the payment of teachers in maintained schools. This is reviewed and updated regularly following recommendations from the independent School Teachers' Review Body, which takes evidence from the national representatives of interested parties, including employers and teachers. The Department strives to work in close cooperation with these partners to ensure that schools have an effective and appropriate framework for rewarding teachers.

Temporary Classrooms

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) of 14 June 2005, Official Report, column 371W, on temporary classrooms, if she will take steps to obtain information on the numbers of temporary classrooms in the local education authorities who have yet to provide accurate data.

Jacqui Smith: Authorities are encouraged to supply good quality, comprehensive premises data. However, there are no statutory requirements to do so and no plans to take measures, other than encouragement, in relation to authorities with poor quality, or incomplete data. A new data set has been requested from authorities by the end of 2005.

Truancy

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils truanted in each London borough in each of the last five years.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is shown in the following tables.
	These figures relate to unauthorised absence, this includes all unexplained or unjustified absences, such as lateness, holidays during term time not authorised by the school, absence where reason is not yet established and truancy.
	
		Number of pupils absent for at least one half day due to unauthorised absence, 2000 to 2004: maintained schools in England (excluding special schools and CTCs)
		
			  Primary 
			  2000 2001 2002 
			 Local education authority Number absent As percentage of pupils of compulsory school age Number absent As percentage of pupils of compulsory school age Number absent As percentage of pupils of compulsory school age 
		
		
			 London, City of 75 42.4 60 32.8 24 13.5 
			 Camden 2,633 28.3 3,503 37.5 3,596 38.5 
			 Greenwich 6,141 35.6 6,205 35.5 6,050 34.9 
			 Hackney 5,187 34.7 5,422 36.7 5,121 34.5 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 2,588 31.0 1,867 24.1 2,057 25.6 
			 Islington 4,206 32.4 4,265 32.2 4,443 33.9 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 1,721 34.9 1,592 27.6 1,663 29.2 
			 Lambeth 5,424 36.6 5,647 35.2 4,489 28.7 
			 Lewisham 7,199 39.7 8,376 42.3 7,440 38.5 
			 Southwark 7,713 42.2 7,912 41.7 8,816 43.9 
			 Tower Hamlets 8,581 49.7 8,779 49.9 8,265 48.0 
			 Wandsworth 3,035 21.1 2,841 19.9 2,680 19.0 
			 Westminster, City of 2,623 35.2 2,481 29.4 2,505 28.7 
			 Barking and Dagenham 5,758 38.2 5,602 36.9 6,124 40.6 
			 Barnet 3,826 17.9 4,070 18.4 4,393 20.0 
			 Bexley 2,286 13.4 1,861 10.2 2,098 11.4 
			 Brent 3,971 21.2 3,198 17.4 3,262 17.4 
			 Bromley 3,090 14.0 2,941 13.1 2,943 13.4 
			 Croydon 4,156 16.2 4,829 18.1 4,704 17.8 
			 Ealing 3,722 17.3 3,142 14.6 2,378 11.1 
			 Enfield 6,444 29.5 6,559 28.8 7,149 30.6 
			 Haringey 6,016 38.7 6,723 39.1 7,210 40.3 
			 Harrow 3,145 17.8 2,782 16.1 2,274 13.5 
			 Havering 1,414 7.9 1,573 8.7 1,727 9.8 
			 Hillingdon 5,292 25.8 5,330 27.8 4,875 24.4 
			 Hounslow 4,213 26.5 4,921 31.9 4,920 31.4 
			 Kingston upon Thames 1,158 12.7 907 9.4 933 9.7 
			 Merton 2,543 20.8 1,875 15.8 1,677 14.1 
			 Newham 12,319 51.0 12,254 48.0 11,584 44.6 
			 Redbridge 4,962 27.4 6,214 31.3 5,402 26.8 
			 Richmond upon Thames 778 7.5 796 7.7 896 8.7 
			 Sutton 1,636 12.7 1,839 14.6 1,794 14.1 
			 Waltham Forest 4,192 23.0 4,286 22.9 3,289 18.1 
		
	
	
		
			  2003 2004 
			  Number absent As percentage of pupils of compulsory school age Number absent As percentage of pupils of compulsory school age 
		
		
			 London, City of 0 0.0 25 14.2 
			 Camden 2,874 30.8 2,691 28.6 
			 Greenwich 6,674 38.1 6,254 35.9 
			 Hackney 4,943 33.5 5,023 33.9 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 1,510 19.7 1,752 22.6 
			 Islington 4,716 36.5 3,864 30.5 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 1,505 26.4 1,108 19.1 
			 Lambeth 5,348 31.7 4,996 29.9 
			 Lewisham 6,753 34.6 7,151 36.6 
			 Southwark 9,472 46.2 8,753 41.5 
			 Tower Hamlets 8,173 46.8 8,364 47.5 
			 Wandsworth 2,831 19.6 2,794 20.1 
			 Westminster, City of 2,346 26.3 1,889 21.4 
			 Barking and Dagenham 6,265 41.2 5,568 36.6 
			 Barnet 4,318 19.4 5,328 24.1 
			 Bexley 1,967 11.0 2,016 11.3 
			 Brent 3,036 16.2 3,246 17.2 
			 Bromley 3,180 14.5 4,405 20.6 
			 Croydon 5,456 21.2 5,727 22.1 
			 Ealing 2,166 10.1 2,490 11.8 
			 Enfield 7,446 32.0 6,514 27.7 
			 Haringey 7,351 40.2 6,455 35.4 
			 Harrow 1,675 9.7 1,514 8.7 
			 Havering 1,745 10.0 1,732 10.0 
			 Hillingdon 4,370 22.1 4,207 21.7 
			 Hounslow 5,539 35.7 5,373 34.9 
			 Kingston upon Thames 834 8.7 950 10.0 
			 Merton 1,640 14.9 1,355 12.1 
			 Newham 9,962 38.3 7,389 28.7 
			 Redbridge 5,377 26.7 5,745 29.1 
			 Richmond upon Thames 1,150 10.9 1,576 14.5 
			 Sutton 1,594 12.7 1,609 13.0 
			 Waltham Forest 3,500 19.6 3,759 21.3 
		
	
	
		Number of pupils absent for at least one half day due to unauthorised absence, 2000 to 2004: maintained schools in England (excluding special schools and CTCs)
		
			  Secondary 
			  2000 2001 2002 
			 Local education authority Number absent As percentage of pupils of compulsory school age Number absent As percentage of pupils of compulsory school age Number absent As percentage of pupils of compulsory school age 
		
		
			 London, City of 0 (15) 0 (15) 0 (15) 
			 Camden 1,774 20.5 2,093 24.2 1,985 22.8 
			 Greenwich 2,818 22.3 3,345 26.0 3,715 28.6 
			 Hackney 1,945 28.2 2,595 33.5 2,876 35.0 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 1,268 24.5 1,302 21.0 1,375 22.1 
			 Islington 2,371 33.5 2,739 36.1 2,360 29.9 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 1,080 34.6 1,077 34.4 925 30.0 
			 Lambeth 1,418 19.9 1,674 23.4 1,746 24.3 
			 Lewisham 4,224 38.8 4,595 40.8 4,474 43.4 
			 Southwark 2,581 25.5 2,566 24.4 3,311 30.8 
			 Tower Hamlets 5,567 42.2 5,592 41.5 5,831 42.9 
			 Wandsworth 1,910 21.3 2,155 24.1 2,218 24.9 
			 Westminster, City of 3,066 43.5 1,799 25.2 2,331 32.6 
			 Barking and Dagenham 2,804 28.7 3,181 31.7 3,614 34.5 
			 Barnet 2,601 15.2 3,148 17.6 3,939 22.1 
			 Bexley 2,546 17.0 3,224 20.6 3,361 21.0 
			 Brent 1,875 15.4 1,930 15.6 1,874 15.0 
			 Bromley 2,030 11.8 3,519 19.9 3,188 17.6 
			 Croydon 2,323 14.7 2,314 13.5 2,688 15.2 
			 Ealing 2,062 15.4 2,804 20.7 2,545 18.5 
			 Enfield 5,509 31.5 6,238 35.2 5,864 32.9 
			 Haringey 2,697 26.3 2,786 30.0 4,150 37.5 
			 Harrow 862 9.7 1,111 12.2 1,097 11.9 
			 Havering 1,753 11.9 2,112 14.0 2,101 13.7 
			 Hillingdon 3,434 24.8 3,125 22.1 3,541 23.8 
			 Hounslow 1,866 13.6 1,681 12.1 2,494 18.2 
			 Kingston upon Thames 1,280 17.9 997 13.6 1,143 15.3 
			 Merton 2,168 28.5 2,156 28.9 2,106 29.2 
			 Newham 7,622 43.7 7,831 44.5 7,363 41.5 
			 Redbridge 1,654 10.8 2,072 13.7 2,800 18.2 
			 Richmond upon Thames 1,478 19.2 2,332 30.1 2,700 35.7 
			 Sutton 1,026 8.8 1,512 12.4 2,106 17.0 
			 Waltham Forest 3,476 27.5 3,715 28.9 3,749 28.5 
		
	
	
		
			  2003 2004 
			 Local education authority Number absent As percentage of pupils of compulsory school age Number absent As percentage of pupils of compulsory school age 
		
		
			 London, City of 0 (15) 0 (15) 
			 Camden 1,755 23.2 1,628 21.6 
			 Greenwich 4,426 33.5 4,913 36.9 
			 Hackney 2,112 26.2 2,727 37.6 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 1,492 23.7 1,580 25.6 
			 Islington 2,811 35.2 2,876 36.1 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 890 28.8 568 18.3 
			 Lambeth 1,685 23.2 870 11.5 
			 Lewisham 4,137 36.6 5,340 47.2 
			 Southwark 3,897 35.6 2,831 25.2 
			 Tower Hamlets 6,501 48.2 6,186 45.6 
			 Wandsworth 2,322 25.7 1,705 21.6 
			 Westminster, City of 2,992 41.4 3,302 44.7 
			 Barking and Dagenham 3,851 35.4 4,019 35.5 
			 Barnet 3,324 18.5 4,090 23.4 
			 Bexley 2,944 18.8 3,556 21.1 
			 Brent 2,705 19.8 2,240 16.1 
			 Bromley 4,302 23.8 3,428 18.7 
			 Croydon 4,733 26.2 3,931 21.9 
			 Ealing 2,279 16.3 2,990 21.3 
			 Enfield 6,443 35.2 8,062 42.7 
			 Haringey 4,666 41.7 4,325 38.2 
			 Harrow 1,125 12.1 1,100 11.8 
			 Havering 1,993 12.8 2,237 14.2 
			 Hillingdon 4,729 31.4 4,992 31.9 
			 Hounslow 2,317 16.5 3,074 22.0 
			 Kingston upon Thames 845 11.1 724 10.8 
			 Merton 2,295 27.8 2,073 25.2 
			 Newham 6,969 38.3 6,367 35.0 
			 Redbridge 2,630 16.6 4,203 26.3 
			 Richmond upon Thames 2,419 31.8 2,737 35.9 
			 Sutton 1,938 15.1 2,518 19.2 
			 Waltham Forest 3,316 24.9 5,012 36.6 
		
	
	(15)Not applicable

University Admissions

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps her Department has taken regarding post-qualification application to university for undergraduate courses.

Bill Rammell: In September 2004, the Secretary of State announced that work would begin to look at the options for implementing a system of post-qualification application to higher education. Officials have been taking this work forward, consulting widely with interested parties and engaging with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Government, of course, respect the autonomy of the HE sector and is absolutely clear that admissions policies are entirely the responsibility of HE institutions. Later this year, we plan to conduct a formal public consultation exercise to seek views on possible reforms to applications procedures.

University Admissions

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the use of aptitude tests for university admissions.

Bill Rammell: The independent review of admissions to higher education which was led by Professor Steven Schwartz acknowledged that assessing an applicant's potential for higher education (HE) study, or recognising ability which may not be reflected fully in Level 3 examination results, is a key issue for fair admissions. The steering group's report in September 2004 suggested that a test that is able to predict performance in HE may help to uncover hidden talent. It also acknowledged the potential burden for applicants of up to six sets of admissions requirements and means of assessment. The report therefore recommended a national research study to assess the idea of a national test of potential. We support this as an early task for a new centre of expertise on admissions which the steering group also recommended. The HE sector is discussing the formation of that centre. Whilst we do not believe in tests for tests sake, if there is a genuine need for a national test it would be right to explore the opportunity.

Vocational Learning

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 14 June 2005, Official Report, column 362W, on post-16 education, what action her Department will take to encourage private sector providers of vocational learning to come forward through competitions.

Jacqui Smith: The LSC already contracts with private sector providers for post-16 learning provision, some selected on the basis of competitive tendering arrangements. We expect the LSC to build on their experience in encouraging high quality private sector providers to enter the new 1619 competitions where the output specifications are for vocational provision. In addition, the 1419 White Paper heralded our intention to develop a comprehensive vocational network, including public and private sector providers, that will contribute to delivery of the 1419 entitlement for all learners by 2015.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Iran

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on reports of the destruction of the Baha'- cemetery in Yazd in February and the desecration of a Baha'- corpse; and what assessment his Department has made of the official investigations into these crimes.

Kim Howells: We have received reports that a Baha'- cemetery in Yazd was destroyed. Cars were said to have been driven over graves, leaving human remains exposed. We condemn any such action unreservedly. We are not aware of an official investigation.
	We have made clear to the Iranian authorities our serious concern about the situation of the Baha'- community in Iran. We have also encouraged the EU to take action, doing so most recently on 21 June. We will make support for human rights a priority in the EU's relations with Iran during the UK's presidency of the EU.

Bangladesh

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of human rights in Bangladesh; what recent research he has evaluated on the situation; and what representations he has made to the Bangladeshi authorities on action to prevent human rights abuses.

Kim Howells: I refer the hon. Member to the statement made in another place by my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Lord Triesman of Tottenham) on Bangladesh on 23 June 2005, Official Report, columns 178086. We will continue to raise our concerns with the Government of Bangladesh about the human rights situation and the need to strengthen the rule of law both bilaterally and with our EU partners. We look to the Government of Bangladesh to uphold its international human rights obligations, such as those contained in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, of which Bangladesh is a signatory.

British Embassies

James McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many new British embassies have been opened since 1997.

Jack Straw: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has opened 10 Embassies and High Commissions since 1997. The following table provides further details. In some cases the mission has been opened previously, but not formally as an Embassy or High Commission. The previous status of such missions is shown in the table.
	
		Embassies and high commissions opened since 1997
		
			 Mission Previous status 
		
		
			 200001  
			 Tripoli Mission originally represented by British Interests Section of the Italian Embassy. 
			   
			 200102  
			 Pyongyang  
			 Asmara Previously opened with local staff only. 
			 Bamako Previously opened with local staff only. 
			 Dushanbe  
			 Kabul  
			   
			 200203  
			 Conakry Previously opened with local staff only. 
			 Dili Mission originally opened as mission to 
			 Chisinau the UN in Jakarta 
			   
			 200405  
			 Baghdad  
		
	
	In reply to the right hon. Member for Devizes (Mr. Ancram) in answer to a similar written parliamentary question on 11 February 2003, Official Report, column 722W, I stated incorrectly that our Embassy in Asmara opened in financial year 200001. This should have read 200102, as shown in the table. Iwould like to apologise for the error.

British Embassies

James McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British embassies have been closed since 1997.

Jack Straw: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has closed five embassies and high commissions since 1997. These were in Bamako, Managua, San Salvador, Tegucigalpa and Asuncion. A further post, Nassau, is scheduled to close on 30 June 2005.

Charlotte Wilson

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of whether the killing in Burundi in December 2000 during which Charlotte Wilson, a British national, was killed, constitutes a war crime prosecutable via the International Criminal Court; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: It is possible that the attack in which Charlotte Wilson and many others were murdered could constitute a war crime as defined under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC). However, the ICC could not have jurisdiction in this case as the crime pre-dates the coming into force of the Rome Statute on 1 July 2002. It is impossible to refer crimes which took place before this date to the ICC.
	Whether to define this attack as a war crime can only be decided upon by a competent court. The UK Government will continue to press the Burundian authorities to investigate this crime fully and bring Charlotte Wilson's killers to justice.

Charlotte Wilson

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps through (a) the UN, (b) the EU and (c) diplomatic channels to ensure the December 2000 killings in which British national Charlotte Wilson was killed is fully pursued and its perpetrators are brought to justice and are not given any amnesty; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: We will continue to press the Burundian authorities for progress in bringing Charlotte Wilson's killers to justice. Our ambassador to Burundi raised this most recently with the Burundian Interior Minister on 17 June.
	We have made clear in recent UN Security Council and European Union statements that the climate of impunity in the Great Lakes region must end. We will continue to push for those that have committed serious human rights abuses to be brought to trial.
	We have expressed support for the UN Secretary-General's proposal for a mixed UN and Burundian special chamber to investigate and prosecute those most responsible for such crimes.

Computer Crime

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many cases of computer (a) hacking, (b) fraud and (c) theft his Department recorded in each year since 200102; and for each year on how many occasions computer systems have been illegally accessed by computer hackers (i)within and (ii) outside his Department.

Jack Straw: There is no evidence of any successful hacking attacks being mounted against the Foreign and Commonwealth Office since 2002 nor is there any evidence of computer based fraud.
	Details of recorded thefts of computers are as follows:
	
		
			  Laptops Personal computers 
		
		
			 200102(16)   
			 200203 4 0 
			 200304 2 0 
			 200405 3 2 
		
	
	(16)No records exist for this period

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will answer the letter dated 29 April from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr Y Abbas.

Kim Howells: A reply to my right hon. Friend was sent on 12 May 2005.

Correspondence

Clare Short: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood on visas dated 21 February 2005 regarding a family reunion for Mr. B. Sargainell.

Kim Howells: UKvisas have contacted my right hon. Friend with regard to this case, which is a matter for the Home Office.

European Convention on Human Rights

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the implications of the European Convention on Human Rights for the Government's policy on the provision of information to overseas prosecuting authorities in cases which would lead to the imposition of the death penalty.

Douglas Alexander: holding answer 28 June 2005
	The opposition of the Government to the death penalty is well known. When deciding whether to provide information to prosecuting authorities abroad the Government takes all relevant factors into account, including the possibility of the death penalty being imposed and our international obligations. Our view is that this policy is in line with the obligations of the UK under the European Convention on Human Rights.

Middle East

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with other members of the Quartet about monitoring Israeli withdrawal from the specified settlements in the northern West Bank; which areas are included in this withdrawal; what the timescale is; how the land evacuated will be returned to Palestinian control; and what compensation has been agreed for the former Palestinian landowners for damage incurred.

Kim Howells: Quartet (UN, US, EU and Russia) discussions on Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and part of the West Bank are ongoing. Most recently, Quartet Principals, along with Quartet Special Envoy for Disengagement James Wolfensohn and US Security Co-ordinator General Ward, met in London on 23 June to discuss these issues, prior to further discussion at the G8 Foreign Ministers Meeting.
	The Quartet discussions continue to focus on the geographical areas to be included in the withdrawal, the timescale for withdrawal and how the areas will be returned to Palestinian control. These are also subject to close discussion with and between the parties, assisted by Mr. Wolfensohn. Compensation for former Palestinian landowners has not been agreed at this stage.

Middle East

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has had with other G8 Foreign Ministers about independent monitoring of Israeli and Palestinian authorities' compliance with commitments during the Gaza withdrawal; and what mechanisms have been put in place.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary hosted a meeting of G8 Foreign Ministers in London on 23 June. Quartet Special Envoy for Disengagement, James Wolfensohn, and US Security Co-ordinator, General William Ward, also attended to discuss the Middle East peace process and Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank. James Wolfensohn set out his plans for assisting disengagement, including to help both parties implement the actions required of them, to encourage them to co-ordinate fully with each other and for the international community to support Palestinian economic and institutional development. G8 Foreign Ministers offered support and appreciation for his work.

Radiological Weapons (Public Education)

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken in response to the recommendation of the Report of the UN Secretary General's High-level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change, A more secure world: Our shared responsibility, that the public should be educated on the consequences of radiological weapons.

Kim Howells: The Government take seriously their responsibility to prepare the public for emergencies, but is careful not to raise the profile of any specific risk disproportionately. General guidance on the steps the public can take to prepare for, and respond to, any major emergency is available on the preparing for emergencies website: (wwvv.preparingforemergencies.gov.uk). More detailed information is also available on the effects of radiological material at: (www.mi5.gov.uk. and wmv.hpa.org.uk).
	The emergency services will always issue specific advice at the time of an incident, including any incident involving release of a radiological material.

Russia

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether (a) he and (b) his Department has made representations to the Russian Foreign Minister on issues relating to the ratification of Protocol 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Douglas Alexander: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is actively engaged in a bilateral human rights dialogue with the Russian Government. We have raised Protocol 6 as part of this dialogue. The last round of the dialogue was held in Moscow on 23 May 2005.
	We are also engaged, with our European partners, in bi-annual EU-Russia human rights consultations. The first session of consultations took place in Luxembourg on 1 March 2005. Again we raised the implementation in Russia of Protocol 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The next round of consultations is scheduled to take place under the UK presidency of the EU on 8 September 2005. We fully expect discussion of Protocol 6 to feature during these consultations.
	In addition to this, staff at our embassy in Moscow continue to raise our concerns with their interlocutors in the Russian Government, including with official institutions in Russia that exist to protect and promote human rights.

Weapons in Space

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the UK Government policy on the US Administration's intention to base weapons in space.

Jack Straw: We are not aware of any US Administration plans to deploy weapons in space.

Work-related Stress

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many cases of work-related stress have been reported in his Department in each of the last three years; how much compensation was paid to employees in each year; how many work days were lost due to work-related stress in each year; at what cost; what procedures have been put in place to reduce work-related stress; at what cost; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: My Department does not currently keep statistics on reported cases of work-related stress or on work-related stress as a sickness absence type. No compensation has been paid to employees because of work-related stress in the past three years. All Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) staff, and dependants overseas, can discuss work-related and personal concerns in confidence with a trained welfare officer. Since March 2002, the FCO has also provided a confidential counselling and advice service to staff both in the UK and overseas, and to dependants overseas, through an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). Work-related stress is one of the issues for which the EAP can provide counselling and support. The cost is approximately 58,000 per annum.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures are in place to assist pupils suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in (a) schools and (b) colleges in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: Education and Library Boards' psychology services and behaviour support services offer advice to schools in relation to the management of pupils with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The type of support offered is dependent on the needs of the school or child but can range from advice on writing an individual behaviour plan to placement in a primary or post-primary guidance centre. Most pupils with ADHD have such extremely challenging behaviour that boards maintain statements of special educational need for them and provide funding for additional support to assist the school to meet the pupil's needs.
	School staff can also receive advice and training in behaviour management strategies and through specific targeted interventions in the management of pupils with ADHD. These in-service courses are available in some board areas on a whole-school basis on request and through teacher or classroom assistant attendance at courses in teachers' centres.
	In 2004, a working group of educational psychologists from across the five Education and Library Boards prepared two information booklets on ADHD which were published by DEone a practical guide for parents and carers and the other a practical guide for schools.
	The Department for Employment and Learning has put in place a range of initiatives and funding streams designed to assist FE college students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities including those suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. These include the publication of a good practice guide; support for staff development activities for senior management, and financial assistance towards the costs of technical or carer support for learners.

Bus Shelters

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent on the erection of bus shelters in Northern Ireland in each year since 1997; and how much has been spent on (a) repairing and (b) replacing such shelters in each year since 2000.

Shaun Woodward: The Chief Executive of Roads Service (Dr. Malcom McKibbin) has been asked to write to the hon. Gentleman.
	Letter from Dr. McKibbin to Mr. Nigel Dodds, dated June 2005
	You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question: how much has been spent on the erection of bus shelters in Northern Ireland in each year since 1997; and how much has been spent on (a) repairing and (b)replacing such shelters in each year since 2000.
	I have been asked to reply as this issue falls within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Roads Service.
	You may be aware that, in January 2001, roads service and most district councils entered into a 15-year contract with bus shelter provider Adshel, for the provision of approximately 1500 bus shelters throughout the council areas. The provision and maintenance of these shelters are funded by Adshel through advertising revenue, and are therefore provided at no cost to the Department. The Department has no knowledge of the costs incurred by Adshel in carrying out their contractual commitments.
	District councils are still permitted to provide additional bus shelters at their own expense, however, Adshel have the sole advertising rights, and Translink is also permitted to erect bus shelters at their own expense under Permitted Development Rights.
	In addition, roads service has a small budget of approximately 1000 per year to maintain the limited number of bus shelters provided by the Department prior to the commencement of the Adshel contract. However, we have not carried out any shelter replacements since 2000.
	I hope this information is helpful.

Early Release (Recidivism)

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prisoners given early release under the terms of the Belfast Agreement have been returned to prison; and for what reasons.

Shaun Woodward: Of the 447 persons released under the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1988 13 have been returned to prison in accordance with the provisions of section 9 of that Act because the Secretary of State believed they had broken, or were likely to break, their licence conditions.

Equality (Stranmillis University College)

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the total number of respondents was to the recent equality impact assessment of the governance arrangements at Stranmillis university college; and how many of these (a) supported and (b) opposed removing the transferor's representatives from the governing body.

Angela Smith: Ten responses to the recent equality assessment on the governance arrangements that will follow the incorporation of Stranmillis university college were received. Four respondents supported and four opposed removing the transferors' representatives from the governing body. Two made no comment on this issue.

Firearm Certificates

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average time taken for firearm certificate applications to be processed was in each of the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Shaun Woodward: The Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland has released the following information.
	
		Average length of time taken to process an application for a firearm certificate
		
			  Weeks 
		
		
			 2004  
			 July (17)4 
			 August (17)4 
			 September (17)4 
			 October (17)4 
			 November (17)4 
			 December (17)(5507960018)8 
			   
			 2005  
			 January (17)(5507960018)8 
			 February 14 
			 March 14 
			 April 14 
			 May 14 
			 June 14 
		
	
	(17)Does not reflect processing time by local police.
	(18)Reflects additional time needed for staff training and other preparatory work to facilitate introduction of new computerised licensing system.

Invest Northern Ireland

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what insurance arrangements for third parties are in place in respect of premises and properties in the possession of Invest Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: Invest NI carries public liability insurance on all of its estates.

Pension Credit

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland are in receipt of pension credit; and what the average amount of pension credit is.

David Hanson: The following table shows the number of people in Northern Ireland in receipt of pension credit and their corresponding average amounts of pension credit, broken down by claimants and partners. The data are taken at May 2005.
	
		
			  Numbers Average amount () 
		
		
			 Claimants 90,929 57.64 
			 Partners 19,952 71.29

Safety Cameras

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many speed cameras have been in place in Northern Ireland in each year since 2001.

Shaun Woodward: During 2001, 2002 and up to June 2003, there were five mobile safety camera vehicles in operation across Northern Ireland.
	The launch of the Northern Ireland Safety Camera Scheme on 1 July 2003 saw these resources boosted by the installation of three fixed site safety cameras at locations on the Antrim Road, Saintfield Road and the Upper Newtownards Road and the deployment of an additional three mobile safety camera vehicles.
	The installation of a further fixed site safety camera on the Springfield Road in November 2003 means that there are now four fixed site safety cameras and eight mobile safety camera vehicles in operation within Northern Ireland. All are at locations with a history of speeding and collision.

Safety Cameras

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been raised through fines imposed as a result of speeding detected by speed cameras in Northern Ireland in each year since 2001.

Shaun Woodward: The number of fixed penalty notices (FPNs) issued for excess speed since 2001 that have been paid are:
	
		
			  FPNs issued Fine levied per FPN () Revenue generated () 
		
		
			 2001 10,750 60 645,000 
			 2002 16,170 60 970,200 
			 2003 12,913 60 774,780 
			 2004 12,010 60 720,600 
		
	
	The fine revenue generated by safety cameras operated in Northern Ireland is paid into the UK Consolidated Fund and at the moment, none of that revenue is returned to the PSNI because of the unique manner in which the PSNI is funded by Treasury.
	However, legislation is currently being prepared that will allow the PSNI to recover costs associated with the operation and maintenance of the Northern Ireland Safety Camera Scheme in future and this money will be used to develop the scheme through the identification of further routes and locations where the deployment of additional cameras can be used to maximize the reduction of serious casualties in future.

State Pension

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of women in Northern Ireland are entitled in their own right to a full basic state pension; what measures are being taken to increase this percentage; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: As of September 2004, 15.6 per cent. of women of pensionable age were in receipt of a full basic state pension in their own right. The position of female pensioners today is largely a legacy of the past. When looking at the position across the UK of people of working age now there is very little difference between the proportions of men and women accruing state pension rights.
	Many of the Government's labour market policies such as the national minimum wage, tax credits and new deals have been particularly helpful in supporting women remaining in, or returning to, employment and enabling them to build up pension entitlement.
	The Pensions Commission has been looking at specific issues regarding women, and the Government have also commissioned their own report on women and pensions to be published by the end of this year.
	In addition to this the Social Security Agency has an active programme, which includes the provision of forecasts and retirement planners to ensure that future pensioners are better informed and educated about their entitlements to state pension. A further process is also in place to ensure that all pensioners with any entitlement to state pension are identified, encouraged and facilitated to take up that entitlement.

Temporary Classrooms

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many schools in the Belfast Education and Library Board area have had more than five temporary classrooms in each year since 2001.

Angela Smith: The Department does not have the information requested prior to 2004. A survey was carried out in 2004 to ascertain the number of temporary classrooms in the schools' estate. The result of the survey showed that at 31 March 2004, 18 schools in the Belfast Education and Library Board had more than five temporary classrooms. By 31 March 2005 the number stood at 17.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Computer-related Offences

Paul Burstow: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many cases of computer (a) hacking, (b) fraud and (c) theft her Department recorded in each year since 200102; and for each year, on how many occasions computer systems have been illegally accessed by computer hackers (i)within and (ii) outside her Department.

Bridget Prentice: The number of cases of computer hacking, fraud and theft recorded by the Lord Chancellor's Department and Department for Constitutional Affairs in each year since 200102 is as follows:
	
		200102
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 (a) Hacking 2 
			 (b) Fraud 0 
			 (c) Theft 25 
		
	
	Illegal access by computer hackers in 200102 was (i) within the Department 1; (ii) outside the Department 1. Neither of the hacking incidents caused damage to the Departmental computer systems.
	
		200203
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 (a) Hacking 0 
			 (b) Fraud 0 
			 (c) Theft 25 
		
	
	There was no reported illegal access by internal or external computer hackers in 200203.
	
		200304
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 (a) Hacking 0 
			 (b) Fraud 0 
			 (c) Theft 33 
		
	
	There was no reported illegal access by internal or external computer hackers in 200304.
	
		200405
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 (a) Hacking 0 
			 (b) Fraud 0 
			 (c) Theft 35 
		
	
	There was no reported illegal access by internal or external computer hackers in 200405.

Data Protection Act

Harry Cohen: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will introduce legislation to modify section 7(9) of the Data Protection Act 1998 to provide for a guarantee of the right of access to personal data as required by Article 12 of Directive 95/46/EC; and if she will make a statement.

Harriet Harman: The Government currently have no plans to introduce legislation to modify the Data Protection Act 1998.

Electoral Registration

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs which relevant software suppliers have confirmed that their products will be able to produce EML compliant electoral register data for 1 December 2005 electoral registers; which have said their products will not be able to do so; which have not yet expressed a view; and if she will make a statement.

Harriet Harman: Of the six software companies that supply more than one electoral registration officer with their software, all have indicated that their product will be able to produce EML compliant electoral register data for 1 December 2005 electoral registers. This is on the understanding that the appropriate new version of the EML standard is agreed and published by the end of July 2005. We are currently approaching the small number of electoral registration officers who operate individual 'bespoke' software for their view on the viability of the target date.

Electoral Registration

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs on what dates marked registers from the 2005 general election were received; what assessment her Department has made of the arrangements for storing the registers securely before being despatched to the Department; and if she will make a statement.

Harriet Harman: Delivery of the marked electoral registers to the Clerk of the Crown in Chancery usually occurs within a three week period after a general election. It is the duty of individual returning officers to arrange the delivery of all general election documentation to the Clerk of the Crown, either personally or through the Royal Mail as the universal service provider. Clear guidance is provided to returning officers covering the way in which documentation is to be packaged to enable secure and safe delivery.

Electoral Registration

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will list the constituencies which have (a) all and (b) part of their marked registers from the 2005 general election missing; and if she will make a statement.

Harriet Harman: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Yardley (John Hemming) on 20 June 2005, Official Report, column 810W which concerned the marked electoral register for the Woking constituency. Investigations are still continuing.
	There have been no other reports of constituencies' marked electoral registers either being mislaid, or missing sections.

Electoral Registration

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether the EML standard for electoral register data will be in place for the 1 December 2005 electoral registers; and if she will make a statement.

Harriet Harman: 1 December 2005 is the latest date we have specified that electoral registration officers should be able to provide electronic copies of their register in compliance with a common EML standard. Suppliers of the relevant software have indicated that that date will be met if an appropriate update to the EML standard can be agreed and published by the end of July 2005. We are currently meeting that target date for a new version of EML.

Electoral Registration

Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much was spent per elector on voter registration for each local authority area in the UK in descending order for the last year in which figures are available.

Harriet Harman: Electoral registration is funded locally, and this information is not available.

General Election (Monitors)

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many international election monitors were present (a) in polling stations and (b) at counts during the 2005 General Election.

Harriet Harman: We are aware that a number of international observers, including a delegation from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, were present during the 2005 General Election campaign. Observers' access to the electoral process is at the discretion of individual returning officers, and information about the numbers of observers attending polling stations and counts is not held centrally.

Judges (Sexual Offences Training)

Vera Baird: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs 
	(1)  if she will list the Court of Appeal judges who have been on a serious sexual offence course;
	(2)  what training in serious sexual offences is given to Court of Appeal judges who were promoted from the High Court prior to the introduction of the serious sexual offences course for High Court judges.

Harriet Harman: This question relates to a matter that is the responsibility of the judiciary. The Lord Chief Justice informs me that; seven Court of Appeal judges have attended the serious sexual offences course.
	The serious sexual offences seminar is, however, specifically designed for judges who hear rape trials. It is currently a residential two-day (over three days) event and past programmes have included talks on the following:
	(1) Research into public attitudes to sexual offending and the views of complainants and victims on the way in which sexual offences proceedings are handled.
	(2) The policies and practices of the police and Crown Prosecution Service in handling serious sexual offences.
	(3) Issues of evidential and procedural law and practice which bear on the conduct of trials in such cases.
	(4) Sentencing issues and the assessment and treatment of sexual offenders in the community and in prison. Also included in the programme is a series of discussions, in small groups, of trial and sentencing issues.
	I would remind the hon. Member for Redcar that the Court of Appeal only considers matters of law in relation to sexual offences. It does not hear trials in relation to sexual offences. Therefore, although some Court of Appeal judges have attended the serious sexual offences seminar the Lord Chief Justice in conjunction with the Judicial Studies Board has decided that it is not a compulsory element of their training.
	Judges of every rank who sit in crime, including the Court of Appeal, have received training on the provisions of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 as part of a programme of training on the Criminal Justice Reforms that ran between January and March 2005. This was supplemented with written material provided at the time the Act came into force.

Judges (Sexual Offences Training)

Vera Baird: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs on how many rape appeals in2004 there was a tribunal which did not contain a judge who had been on the serious sexual offences seminar.

Harriet Harman: This question relates to a matter that is the responsibility of the judiciary. The Lord Chief Justice informs me that the information cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.

Judges (Sexual Offences Training)

Vera Baird: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs which circuit judges who sit in the Court of Appeal Criminal Division have not been on a serious sexual offences training course.

Harriet Harman: This question relates to a matter that is the responsibility of the judiciary. The Lord Chief Justice informs me that all circuit judges who sit in the Court of Appeal Criminal Division have attended the serious sexual offences training course.

Judges (Sexual Offences Training)

Vera Baird: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how long ago each judge of the Court of Appeal attended a serious sexual offences seminar.

Harriet Harman: This question relates to a matter that is the responsibility of the judiciary. The Lord Chief Justice informs me that the seven Court of Appeal judges who have attended the serious sexual offences seminar have done so in the last six years.

Jury Service

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will commission research to assess the ability of juries to understand complex trials.

Harriet Harman: My Department has no plans at the moment to conduct research into the deliberations and requirements of juries. In January 2005 my Department published a Consultation PaperJury Research and Improprietyand the relevant consultation period finished on 15 April. The responses are currently being analysed and an announcement of the Government's intentions will be made in due course.

Legal Aid

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will increase remuneration for civil legal aid lawyers.

Bridget Prentice: There are no immediate plans to increase remuneration for civil legal aid lawyers. Civil legal aid lawyers are paid under a variety of remuneration regimes. In most non-family cases, civil legal aid litigation work would normally be paid at private client rates on the successful conclusion of a case against a privately paying opponent.
	The LSC provides additional remuneration for specific priority areas of legal aid work. For example, members of specialist panels in family work, and those undertaking priority housing work are paid guaranteed higher rates. Most Legal Help work has received a 2.5 per cent. increase from April 2005 as part of the Tailored Fixed Fee scheme.

Legal Training

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what assessment she has made of the adequacy of solicitors' training arrangements.

Bridget Prentice: I welcome the Law Society's review of solicitors' training. Regular reviews are necessary to ensure training remains up-to-date, fit for purpose and consistent with the wider needs of society.

Legal Training

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what representations she has received on the Law Society's Training Framework Review.

Bridget Prentice: It is for the Law Society to consider responses to its review on its Training Framework. Any recommendations the Law Society makes as a result of that consultation will then be considered by the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs, whose approval would be needed, in accordance with schedule 4 of the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990.

Legal Training

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what assessment she has made of the implications for legal services of trainee solicitors being (a) graduates, (b) law graduates and (c) beneficiaries of regulated vocational training.

Bridget Prentice: Any recommendations the Law Society makes as a result of its consultation on its training framework will be considered by the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs, whose approval would be needed, in accordance with Schedule 4 of the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990. It would be premature to make such an assessment before any recommendations have been received.

Legal Training

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will make representations to the Law Society to increase the openness of training arrangements for solicitors to all parts of society.

Bridget Prentice: The Law Society is fully committed to ensuring training arrangements are flexible and inclusive, while maintaining rigorous standards. The issue of diversity in the profession is of great importance to me and to the Law Society.

Legal Training

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what assessment she has made of the financial implications of the Law Society's proposals for solicitors' training for (a) legal aid, (b) legal services and (c) the legal profession.

Bridget Prentice: The implications, including financial implications, of any recommendations the Law Society makes following its consultation on its training framework will be considered, in accordance with the provisions of schedule 4 of the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990. It would be premature to make such an assessment before any recommendations have been received.

Legal Training

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will make representations to the Law Society on the implications for legal services of its Training Framework Review.

Bridget Prentice: I have no plans to comment on the Law Society's proposals while they are the subject of a public consultation. Any recommendations the Law Society makes as a result of that consultation will be considered by the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs, whose approval would be needed, in accordance with schedule 4 of the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990.

Legal Training

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what reforms her Department proposes to introduce in relation to solicitors' training.

Bridget Prentice: It is the responsibility of the Law Society to set standards of entry to the solicitors' profession. However, the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State must approve any proposals for change put forward by the Law Society, in accordance with the provisions of Schedule 4 of the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990.

HEALTH

Alliance Medical

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many scans Alliance Medical must conduct over the course of its five year contract to provide scanning services in the NHS.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 27 June 2005
	630,000 scans will be delivered over the life of the contract.

Alzheimer's Disease

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 6 June 2005, Official Report, column 414W, on Alzheimer's, if she will place in the Library copies of the background papers concerning the reviews to which she refers.

Jane Kennedy: Only limited papers are readily available about past reviews that looked at the list of medical conditions that give exemption from prescription charges. The cost of searching for all available papers would be disproportionately expensive. The readily available information will be placed in the Library.
	An internal review of prescription charges was undertaken by Departmental officials in conjunction with Her Majesty's Treasury as part of the formulation of Government policy for the 1998 comprehensive spending review. This work fed into the outcome of the comprehensive spending review, which was published by Her Majesty's Treasury, pursuant to the answer of 2 February 2005, Official Report, column 908W.

Ambulance Services

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many ambulances were available in the NHS in London in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many NHS ambulances there were in London in each of the last five years.

Jane Kennedy: This information is not collected centrally.

Ambulance Services

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average response time was to an emergency call to the ambulance service in each London borough in each year since 1997.

Jane Kennedy: This information is not collected centrally in the format requested. Data on response times for London Ambulance Service National Health Service Trust is shown in the tables.
	Data is available only from 200001 which is the year London Ambulance Service NHS Trust introduced prioritisation.
	Further information can be found in the statistical bulletin, Ambulance services, England: 200405. Copies are available in the Library and on the Department's website at: http://www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/ll/36/79/04113679.pdf
	
		Percentage of category A calls responded within eight minutes
		
			  London 
		
		
			 199798 n/a 
			 199899 n/a 
			 19992000 n/a 
			 200001 41.8 
			 200102 57.2 
			 200203 69.1 
			 200304 76.0 
			 200405 76.6 
		
	
	n/a=not available.
	
		Percentage of category A calls responded within 14 to 19 minutes
		
			  London 
		
		
			 199798 n/a 
			 199899 n/a 
			 19992000 n/a 
			 200001 83.3 
			 200102 85.7 
			 200203 88.6 
			 200304 89.6 
			 200405 95.9 
		
	
	n/a=not available.
	
		Percentage of category B/C calls responded within 14 to 19minutes
		
			  London 
		
		
			 199798 n/a 
			 199899 n/a 
			 19992000 n/a 
			 200001 79.7 
			 200102 78.5 
			 200203 79.2 
			 200304 77.9 
			 200405 81.2 
		
	
	n/a=not available.
	
		Percentage of urgent journeys with arrival time not more than 15minutes late
		
			  London 
		
		
			 199798 79.3 
			 199899 69.4 
			 19992000 61.0 
			 200001 50.1 
			 200102 48.4 
			 200203 46.7 
			 200304 50.0 
			 200405 58.0

Appraisals (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence)

Dai Havard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) medical devices and (b) pharmaceutical products were submitted for appraisal to the (i)National Institute for Clinical Excellence in (A) 2003 and (B) 2004 and (ii) National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence in 2005.

Jane Kennedy: Details of the appraisal topics referred to the National Institute for Clinical Excellence in 2003 and 2004 and to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence in 2005 are as follows.
	In 2003, two work programmes were referred:
	Wave 8April 2003
	Pharmaceuticals
	Hormonal treatments for early breast cancer
	Imatinib (Glivec) for gastro-intenstinal stromal tumours
	Gefitinib (Iressa) for non-small cell lung cancer
	Statins for prevention of coronary events
	Memantine (Ebixa) for moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease
	New pharmaceutical treatments for non-Alzheimer dementias
	New treatments for venous leg ulcers
	New treatments for diabetic foot ulcers
	Omalizumab (Xolair) for uncontrolled asthma
	Drotecogin (Xigris) and afelimomab (Segard) for severe sepsis
	New treatments for moderate to severe psoriasis
	Pimecrolimus (Elidel) and tacrolimus (Protopic) for atopic dermatitis (eczema)
	Topical steroids in atopic dermatitis (eczema)
	Devices
	Dual chamber pacing
	Other
	Parent training programmes, for treatment and prevention of conduct disorder
	Wave 9October 2003
	Pharmaceuticals
	Adefovir dipivoxil for chronic hepatitis B
	Erythropoetin ion chemotherapy-induced anaemia
	Etanercept and infliximab for ankylosing spondylitis
	Ximelagatran for the treatment of venous thromboembolism
	Ximelagatran for the prevention of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation
	Nesiritide for acute decompensated heart failure
	Prasterone for systemic lupus erythematosus
	Other
	Fallers clinics
	HealOzone for tooth decay
	Thrombophilia screening
	2004
	Wave 10June 2004
	Pharmaceuticals
	Atrasentan for hormone refractory prostate cancer
	Cetuximab for head and neck cancer
	Pemetrexed disodium in the treatment of mesothelioma
	Oxaliplatin, irinotecan and capecitabine as adjuvant therapy in colorectal cancer
	Docetaxel for hormone-refractory prostate cancer
	Carmustine implants (Gliadel Wafers) for newly diagnosed high grade glioma
	Methadone and Bupenorphine as opiate substitutes
	Naltrexone as a treatment for relapse prevention
	Pegaptanib for age-related macular degeneration
	Natalizumab for multiple sclerosis
	Adalimumab for rheumatoid arthritis
	Lerdelimumab (CAT-152) for prevention of scarring after glaucoma filtration surgery
	Strontum ranelate for osteoporosis
	Inhaled insulin
	Corticosteroids for asthma
	Devices
	Biventricular pacing (cardiac resynchronisation) for heart failure
	Wave 11April 2005
	Pharmaceuticals
	Gemcitabine for breast cancer
	Docetaxal and paclitaxel for the treatment of early breast cancer
	Rituximab for the treatment of low grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
	Erlotinib and permetrexed for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer
	Cinacalcet HCI for hyperparathyroidism
	Ezetimibe for hypercholesteremia
	Drugs for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension
	Other
	Stapled haemorrhoidectomy for the treatment of haemorrhoids

Appraisals (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence)

Dai Havard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1) if she will ask the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to look at ways to speed up its appraisal process; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  if she will ask the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to review its criteria for appraising medical devices.

Jane Kennedy: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is an independent organisation, which develops its guidance after careful consideration of the available evidence and in consultation with stakeholders. The process by which it develops its guidance is a matter for NICE. Its processes have been developed through wide consultation, are transparent and have been endorsed by the World Health Organisation. NICE reviews its processes regularly in order to identify opportunities for efficiencies in the way they are applied.

Bacteriophages

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding has been provided in the last five years by her Department's Research and Development Directorate for research into the effectiveness of bacteriophages in controlling health care associated infection.

Jane Kennedy: None.

Cancer Treatment

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of alternatives to traditional chemotherapy treatment; whether such treatments are available on the NHS; and what estimate has been made of the number of people for whom such treatment would be appropriate.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 28 June 2005
	A national chemotherapy advisory group has been set up to consider all aspects of planning and delivery of chemotherapy services and to advise the national cancer director and the Department on the development and delivery of high quality chemotherapy services. This group will consider developments in the field of chemotherapy and their implications for chemotherapy services in the national health service.
	A cancer drugs forward planning group has also been set up to identify and consider new cancer drugs and, using a set of agreed criteria, to prioritise them for consideration by the advisory committee for topic selection for potential referral to National Institute for Healthcare and Clinical Excellence.

Clinical Trials

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the use of public private partnership initiatives to develop clinical drug trials.

Jane Kennedy: The Government aims to work in partnership with the public and private sectors to sustain clinical research for the benefit of patients and the public. In 2002, the pharmaceutical industry competitiveness task force concluded a partnership agreement setting out the ground rules for both contract clinical trials and the non-commercial research collaborations to which industry contributes.
	In 2004, the research for patient benefit working party drew attention to the immense contribution of United Kingdom research in the field of biomedical sciences and to the benefit to the national health service, patients and the wider public of encouraging internationally competitive clinical research, sponsored by the industry, and carried out in the NHS. It also recommended action to reverse some damaging trends.
	To improve the environment for clinical research, the UK clinical research collaboration was created in 2004. It is a partnership between Government, the voluntary sector, patients, research funders and industry. Its work streams include developing networks within the NHS that will provide a platform for industry-contracted and collaborative research alongside NHS research, in areas identified as being critical to establishing the UK as a world leader in clinical research.

Community Pharmacies

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many community pharmacies in each London borough (a) opened and (b) closed in each year since 200001; and if she will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: Information on the number of community pharmacies opened and closed by London borough is not centrally collected. However, information is available by health authority (HA) prior to 2002 and from 2002, by primary care trust (PCT).
	Table 1 shows the number of community pharmacies by London HA prior to 2002 and table 2 shows the number of community pharmacies by London PCTs from 2002 onwards.
	
		Table 1: By London HA200001 to 200102
		
			   Number of community pharmacies 200001 Number of community pharmacies 200102 
			 HA Total number of community pharmacies Opened Closed Opened Closed 
		
		
			 Brent and Harrow 129 0 1 0 1 
			 Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow 161 0 3 0 2 
			 Hillingdon 62 0 0 0 0 
			 Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster 148 0 2 0 0 
			 Barnet, Enfield and Haringey 194 0 0 0 1 
			 Camden and Islington 111 0 0 0 0 
			 Barking and Havering 79 0 0 0 1 
			 East London and City 166 0 1 0 1 
			 Redbridge and Waltham Forest 108 0 1 0 0 
			 Bexley Bromley and Greenwich 151 0 0 0 0 
			 Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham 174 0 2 0 0 
			 Croydon 68 0 1 0 0 
			 Kingston and Richmond 75 0 1 0 0 
			 Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth 143 0 0 0 2 
		
	
	Note:
	Some HAs served more than one London borough.
	
		Table 2: By London PCT200203 to 200304
		
			   Number of community pharmacies 200203 Number of community pharmacies 200304 
			 PCT Number of pharmacies on establishment of PCTs in 2002 Opened Closed Opened Closed 
		
		
			 Brent Teaching 71 0 0 0 0 
			 Ealing 69 0 0 1 0 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 41 0 0 0 1 
			 Harrow 57 0 0 0 0 
			 Hillingdon 62 0 0 0 0 
			 Hounslow 50 0 0 0 0 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 41 0 0 0 0 
			 Westminster 106 0 0 0 1 
			 Barnet 78 0 0 1 0 
			 Camden 63 0 0 0 0 
			 Islington 47 0 0 0 0 
			 Enfield 59 0 0 0 0 
			 Haringey 57 0 0 0 1 
			 Barking and Dagenham 36 0 0 0 1 
			 City and Hackney 65 0 0 0 0 
			 Havering 43 0 0 0 0 
			 Newham 60 0 0 0 0 
			 Redbridge(19) 39 0 0 11 0 
			 Tower Hamlets 43 0 0 0 1 
			 Walthamstow, Leyton and Leytonstone(20) 46 0 46   
			 Waltham Forest(21)58 0 
			 Bexley 47 0 0 0 1 
			 Bromley 57 0 0 0 0 
			 Greenwich 47 0 0 1 0 
			 Lambeth 59 0 0 0 1 
			 Lewisham 52 0 0 0 0 
			 Southwark 63 0 0 0 0 
			 Croydon 68 0 0 0 0 
			 Kingston 29 0 0 0 0 
			 Richmond and Twickenham 45 0 0 0 0 
			 Sutton and Merton 77 0 0 0 0 
			 Wandsworth 65 0 0 2 0 
		
	
	(19)Redbridge PCT previously sat in Redbridge and Waltham Forest HA and the total number of pharmacies for the HA as at 200102 was 108. In 2002, Redbridge PCT was established and initially had had 39 pharmacies, increasing by 11 with the establishing of Waltham Forest PCT in 2003, which had 58 pharmacies. It is useful to note that the combined figure of community pharmacies for both Redbridge and Waltham Forest PCTs in 200304 is equal to that of the previous HA total of 108.
	(20)Walthamstow, Leyton and Leytonstone PCT no longer exists.
	(21)Newly established PCT on 1 April 2003.

Dentistry

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many NHS dentists have retired in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many NHS dentists have left the NHS in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Rosie Winterton: The number of dentists, who have come off the dental lists held by the Dental Practice Board (DPB) in England in the 12-month period ending 31 March 2005 was 1,008. However, many of these dentists would not have been providing exclusively national health service treatment and therefore the number does not reflect a loss of 1,008 whole time equivalent dentists to the service.
	Dentists stop practising in general dental service (CDS) or personal dental service (PDS) for a number of reasons, including retirement and short-term breaks. Some dentists have not left indefinitely and intend to return. There is no requirement for a dentist to indicate why to indicate why they have stopped practising. Neither the Department nor the DPB records the reason why a dentist has stopped practising.
	The number of individual dentists in England with open CDS or PDS contracts at 31 March 2005 was 20,088 compared to 19,294 at 31 March 2004.

Dentistry

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dental practices in Sussex are currently taking on new NHS patients; and how many were open to new NHS patients in 1997.

Rosie Winterton: Information about dental practices, which were open to new patients in 1997 are not held centrally. Information about practices currently taking on new national health service patients is not centrally collected, but can be assessed either through NHS Direct or through local primary care trusts.

Dentistry

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in Lancashire are registered with an NHS dentist.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested for the primary care trusts (PCTs) within the Lancashire area is shown in the table.
	
		
			 Primary care trusts Number 
		
		
			 Cumbria and Lancashire strategic health authority 771,011 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 66,755 
			 Blackpool 71,026 
			 Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale 97,181 
			 Chorley and South Ribble 102,058 
			 Fylde 52,001 
			 Hyndburn and Ribble Valley 46,901 
			 Morecambe Bay 143,653 
			 Preston 68,147 
			 West Lancashire 55,231 
			 Wyre 68,058

Dentistry

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were registered with an NHS dentist in the City of Newcastle-upon-Tyne in each of the last five years; and what percentage of the population that represented in each year.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		Patients registered with a national health service dentist in Newcastle primary care trust as at 30 September
		
			  Number of patients registered Percentage of population registered with a dentist 
		
		
			 2000 n/a n/a 
			 2001 141,552 53 
			 2002 148,039 56 
			 2003 144,531 54 
			 2004(22) 148,691 56 
		
	
	n/a=not available.
	1 2004 population data not available at this level2003 data used. Sources: Dental Practice Board and Office for National Statistics.

Haringey Teaching Primary Care Trust

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses are employed in each hospital located in the Haringey teaching primary care trust area; and if she will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		National health service hospital and community health services: total number of qualified nurses in the specified organisations as at 30 September 2004
		
			  Total nurses Nurse consultant Manager Registered sick nurse 
		
		
			 Total nursing staff 4,950 3 117 134 
			 Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust 1,003 0 39 0 
			 Haringey PCT 324 1 13 0 
			 North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust 964 0 49 26 
			 Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 1,836 0 1 59 
			 Whittington Hospital NHS Trust 823 2 15 49 
		
	
	
		
			  Registered midwife District nurse Health visitor 
		
		
			 Total nursing staff 353 54 49 
			 Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust 0 0 0 
			 Haringey PCT 0 54 49 
			 North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust 127 0 0 
			 Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 72 0 0 
			 Whittington Hospital NHS Trust 154 0 0 
		
	
	Source:
	Health and Social Care Information Centre Non-Medical Workforce Census 2004.

Hepatitis

Desmond Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what reports have been made of adverse reactions to hepatitis B vaccination under the yellow card scheme in each year since the introduction of hepatitis B vaccine.

Jane Kennedy: The safety of all medicines and vaccines, including hepatitis B vaccine, is continuously monitored by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), with expert advice from the Committee on Safety of Medicines. The MHRA uses a variety of data sources for this purpose including reports of suspected adverse drug reactions (ADRs) which are reported through the yellow card scheme, clinical trials, published literature, epidemiological studies and periodic safety update reports from marketing authorisation holders.
	The table shows the total number of suspected ADR reports received via the yellow card scheme from 1 January to 31 December for hepatitis B vaccine during each year since the first report was received in 1983.
	
		Number of reports of suspected ADRs received per year for hepatitis B vaccine
		
			 Year report received Number of reports 
		
		
			 1983 5 
			 1984 13 
			 1985 14 
			 1986 47 
			 1987 107 
			 1988 310 
			 1989 182 
			 1990 175 
			 1991 168 
			 1992 198 
			 1993 227 
			 1994 251 
			 1995 235 
			 1996 252 
			 1997 226 
			 1998 273 
			 1999 193 
			 2000 161 
			 2001 148 
			 2002 116 
			 2003 122 
			 2004 89 
			 2005 46 
		
	
	It is important to note that a report of a suspected adverse reaction does not necessarily mean that it was caused by the drug or vaccine. Many factors have to be taken into account in assessing causal relationships including temporal association, the possible contribution of concomitant medication or a newly occurring or previously undiagnosed underlying illness.

Honours

Greg Pope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many officials currently in the Department received honours in the recent Queen's Birthday Honours List; and at what rank of honour.

Greg Pope: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Mr. Hutton) on 22 June 2005, Official Report, column 1059W.

Hospital Beds (London)

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) intensive care and (b) high dependency beds there were in each strategic health authority in London in January in each of the last three years.

Jane Kennedy: The data requested are published on the Department's website at: www.performance.doh.gov.uk/hospitalactivity/data_requests/critical_care_ beds.htm.

Hospital Travel Costs Scheme

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions her Department has had with hospital trusts on the implementation of its Hospital Travel Costs Scheme Guidance (2003) with reference to the promotion of the Hospital Travel Costs scheme to patients attending hospital for cancer treatment.

Rosie Winterton: The Department does not collect any central information or issue guidance regarding the promotion of the Hospital Travel Costs scheme to patients attending hospital for cancer treatment.

Hospital-acquired Infections

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what role community matrons play in minimising MRSA in residential care and nursing homes; and if she will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: holding answer 22 June 2005
	The Matron's Charter launched in October 2004, reinforced the matron's role by setting out 10 key commitments to cleanliness, aimed at all staff in the national health service. Although the focus was on care in the hospital setting, many of the principles espoused are applicable across the whole spectrum of health care.
	Residential care and nursing homes are not required to have community matrons on staff complements but may receive advice from community matrons on clinical issues.
	The care homes regulations set out requirements for hygiene and infection control and care home providers are required to ensure that at all times suitably qualified, competent and experienced staff are working in the care home. These persons should receive training appropriate to their work and infection control is detailed in the induction standards set by Skills for Care and should be used by all new staff and those taking national vocational qualifications.

Hospital-acquired Infections

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research her Department has undertaken into possible links between use of agency and bank nursing staff within the NHS and prevalence of MRSA and other hospital-acquired infections.

Jane Kennedy: The Department has conducted initial research to examine the links between the use of temporary nursing staff, hospital cleanliness and methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). However, the work is still in progress and results are not yet available.

Hospital-acquired Infections

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the Department's policy is on the use of (a) disinfectants and (b) detergents for cleaning, with particular reference to control of hospital infections.

Jane Kennedy: The use of disinfectants is a local decision and trusts should have local policies on disinfectant use focused on specific infection risks.
	The National health service cleaning manual, which is endorsed by experts in cleaning and microbiology, recommends detergents for routine use, but recognises disinfectants are needed in particular circumstances.
	As overuse of disinfectants can damage some fabrics and surfaces and may encourage the development of resistant organisms, the Department is supporting research into microfibre cleaning, which requires neither detergents nor disinfectant. Early results are encouraging. The cleaning manual will be updated following the trial.

Hospital-acquired Infections

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff at the (a) Whittington hospital, (b) Royal Free hospital Hampstead, (c) North Middlesex university hospital and (d) Haringey teaching primary care trust St. Ann's hospital have been allocated to the treatment of (i) Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus, (ii) Vancomycin-Intermediate Staphylococcus aureus, (iii) Clostridium difficile Associated Diarrhoea, (iv) Vancomycin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus and (v) Glycopeptide-Resistant Enterococci in each of the last five years; and what proportion of the budget of each hospital was allocated to the treatment of each in each year.

Jane Kennedy: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Hospital-acquired Infections

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research she has evaluated on possible risks of transmission of MRSA within hospitals on neck-ties worn by doctors and other hospital staff; and if she will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: holding answer 28 June 2005
	Although studies by Nurkin et al have shown the presence of pathogens on neckties, the evidence indicates that inadequate hand hygiene is the main cause of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) transmission. However, health care workers should use appropriate protective clothing such as aprons to prevent transmission of micro-organisms to patients and contamination of their own clothing or skin.

Intensive Care (Enfield)

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) intensive care and (b) high dependency beds there were in Enfield in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Jane Kennedy: There are two hospitals in Enfield, Chase Farm, which is part of the Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals National Health Service Trust and North Middlesex university hospital, which is the only hospital in the North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust. Data on intensive care and high dependency beds is collected by trusts and the latest available data, as at 13 January 2005, is shown in the table.
	
		
			 Hospital trust Number of intensive care beds Number of high dependency beds 
		
		
			 Barnet and Chase Farm 8 6 
			 North Middlesex University 7 4

Meals on Wheels

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which social services authorities provide meals on wheels (a) cooked ready to eat, (b) frozen, (c) comprised of sandwiches and (d) cooked and chilled.

Liam Byrne: Data is not centrally available in the form requested.

Mental Health Bill

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when she expects to publish her response to the pre-legislative security committee on the draft Mental Health Bill;
	(2)  when she expects to publish the final version of the Mental Health Bill.

Rosie Winterton: The Department is currently considering the recommendations of the report of the joint committee on the draft Mental Health Bill and a response will be published shortly. Following the publication of the Government's response, a Mental Health Bill will be presented before Parliament as soon as parliamentary time allows.

Mental Health Services

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what arrangements are in place to ensure that people aged 65 years or over with mental health issues have access to (a) bereavement counselling, (b) assertive outreach teams, (c) crisis resolution teams and (d) community mental health teams;
	(2)  what reasons older people under the care of assertive outreach teams cease to receive the service when they reach of the age of 65.

Rosie Winterton: The needs of older people with mental health problems are the focus of a standard in the national service framework for older people (2001), which is designed to ensure that the right services are there to meet the needs of older people with mental health problems whether they live at home, in residential care or are being cared for in hospital. Where an older person has severe mental illness due to a psychotic illness such as schizophrenia, they will require the packages of care set out in the national service framework for mental health, and the same standards should apply as for working age adults. For these people care should be provided within the framework of the care programme approach. Bereavement counselling services should be accessible by people of any age through referral by a general practitioner.
	The Department's guidance on functionalised community teams, Mental Health Policy Implementation Guide (2001), explains that such services are commonly for adults aged up to 65 years. This guidance specifies that for crisis resolution teams there should be flexibility in every locality to decide to treat those who fall outside this age group where appropriate. For assertive outreach teams, the same guidance states that the boundaries between different health care services should be flexible to respond to different needs. The Mental Health Policy Implementation Guide also makes clear that as long as there is evidence of benefit, assertive outreach can continue indefinitely. The Mental Health Policy Implementation Guide for Community Mental Health Teams (2002) requires age limits to be determined in line with locally agreed protocols for transitions from adolescent to adult and adult to older adult services.

Mental Health Services

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria were used to set the priorities for the National Service Framework for Mental Health, with particular reference to the age of sufferers; and what arrangements are in place to ensure that people with mental health problems continue to have access to services once they reach 65 years.

Rosie Winterton: The national service framework for mental health (1999) concentrates on the mental health needs of working age adults up to 65 and touches on the needs of children and young people, highlighting areas where services for children and adults interact, for example the interface between services for 16 to 18-year-olds, and the needs of children with a mentally ill parent.
	The needs of children and adolescents with mental health problems are the focus of a standard in the children's national service framework which gives guidance on what is envisaged in a comprehensive child and adolescent mental health service.
	The needs of older people with mental health problems are the focus of a standard in the national service framework for older people (2001), which is designed to ensure that the right services are there to meet the needs of older people with mental health problems whether they live at home, in residential care or are being cared for in hospital. Where an older person has severe mental illness due to a psychotic illness such as schizophrenia, they will require the packages of care set out in the national service framework for mental health, and the same standards should apply as for working age adults. For these people care should be provided within the framework of the care programme approach.
	The Department's guidance on the care programme approach, Effective Care Co-ordination in Mental Health Services (1999), requires services to have in place clearly identified plans and protocols for meeting the needs of younger and older people moving from one service to another. The priorities and planning framework for the national health service 200306 includes a target to ensure that protocols are in place across all health and social care systems for the care and management of older people with mental health problems.
	The annual performance ratings of mental health trusts carried out by the Healthcare Commission in 2004 and by the Commission for Health Improvement in 2003 employed performance indicators on the availability of clear protocols for transition between children's, adults' and older people's mental health services.

Missed Appointments (Lancashire)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients failed to turn up for (a) general practitioner and (b) hospital appointments in (i)Chorley and (ii) Lancashire in 200405.

Liam Byrne: The total number of missed out-patient appointments for the year 200405 in England was 5,707,288, or 11.3 per cent. Data for individual national health service trusts are available in the Library.
	The Department does not collect data on the number of missed general practice appointments, but there is some evidence to suggest the number of missed appointments are falling.

MRI Scan

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time for a MRI scan is at each London hospital.

Jane Kennedy: The information requested is not collected centrally.

NHS Budget

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what her estimate is of the annual change in the NHS budget required to meet the higher cost associated with (a) an ageing population and (b) improved health care technology; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: In the report Securing our long term health: taking a long term view, Derek Wanless reported that the impact of ageing on future health expenditure is likely to be small compared with other cost drivers. The report also states that medical technology, including drugs and equipment, would contribute two to three percentage points to the annual rate of growth in health spending in the future, compared to an average of two percentage points a year over the previous 20 years.

NHS Staff

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many full-time equivalent (a) administrative staff and (b) temporary staff have been employed at (i) Whittington hospital, (ii) Royal Free hospital Hampstead, (iii) North Middlesex university hospital and (iv) Haringey teaching primary care trust St. Ann's hospital in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The information requested is shown in the table. St Ann's hospital is part of the Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health Trust.
	
		National health service hospital and community health services: Total clerical and administrative staff in Haringey teaching primary care trust area by contractual term as at 30 September each specified year -- Full-time equivalent
		
			   2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 Total administrative staff  1,326 1,595 1,794 1,979 2,075 
			
			 Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust RRP n/a 176 249 278 352 
			 Haringey PCT 5C9 n/a 114 114 139 161 
			 North Middlesex Hospital NHS Trust RAP 291 294 327 391 359 
			 Royal Free NHS Trust RAL 722 700 778 830 860 
			 Whittington Hospital NHS Trust RKE 312 311 326 341 342 
		
	
	n/a=not applicable
	Note:
	Full-time equivalent figures are rounded to the nearest whole number.
	Source:
	Health and Social Care Information Centre Non-Medical Workforce Census.

NHS Staff

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what her estimate is of the total cost of suspending NHS staff in the most recent year for which figures are available; and what the average cost was of suspending one member of (a) medical staff and (b) non-medical clinical staff per annum for the most recent period for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many (a) medical and (b) non-medical clinical staff in the NHS have been (i) formally suspended and (ii) informally suspended from work in each year since 1997; and what steps she is taking to ensure that suspensions that occur are unavoidable;
	(3)  what the average length of time of suspensions from the NHS for (a) medical and (b) non-medical clinical staff was in the last year for which figures are available.

Liam Byrne: The information requested on formal and informal suspensions of medical and non-medical clinical staff and the length of those suspensions and their cost is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The National Audit Office provided information on clinical staff excluded from work in 2001 and 2002 in its report, The Management of Suspensions of Clinical Staff in NHS Hospital and Ambulance Trusts in England, which is available in the Library.
	The most recent data collect by the National Clinical Assessment Service, now part of the National Patient Safety Agency, shows that, in the fourth quarter of 2004, 19 doctors were suspended for six months or more.

Northwick Park Hospital (Maternity)

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of maternity services at Northwick Park hospital; and if she will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The North West London hospitals national health service trust is actively addressing issues at the maternity unit at Northwick Park hospital. Last year, the trust, Brent primary care trust (PCT) and Harrow PCT invited the Healthcare Commission to help the trust with improvements. In April 2005, the Department, on the recommendation of the Healthcare Commission, introduced special measures at the unit to provide additional resource and external clinical support to accelerate the improvement programme.
	I understand that the Healthcare Commission will shortly be publishing its report on these issues. The Department will consider the Commission's findings carefully and work with the trust and North West London strategic health authority to ensure that the appropriate action is taken.

Patient Care (Private Companies)

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if she will make a statement on the monitoring that is undertaken by her Department of the safety and quality of patient care provided by private companies delivering out of hours primary care services;
	(2)  how many adverse incidents have been recorded for GP out-of-hours services in each year since 1997; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  if she will make a statement on the monitoring undertaken by her Department of the development of community out-of-hours services under the new GP contract.

Liam Byrne: The Department set quality requirements that came into effect from 1 January 2005. These set the minimum standards for the delivery of out-of-hours care. In line with Shifting the Balance of Power, it is for primary care trusts and strategic health authorities, not the Department, to monitor out-of-hours services against these quality requirements and, where necessary, take action in cases of adverse incidents or complaints.

Primary Care Trusts

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the funding per capita was for each primary care trust in England in 200405; what the budgeted funding per capita is for each trust in 200506; and what the average figure for all trusts is for each year.

Liam Byrne: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for East Worthing and Shoreham (Tim Loughton) today.

Primary Care Trusts

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the funding was per head for each primary care trust area in England in 200405; and what the expected level is in 200506.

Liam Byrne: The information requested has been placed in the Library.
	Allocations to primary care trusts (PCTs) are based on the population weighted for a number of factors. These factors include:
	Age related needto recognise that people tend to have a greater need as they grow older.
	Additional needsto reflect difference in health need over and above that accounted for by age.
	Unavoidable difference in the cost of providing services.
	The revenue allocations for PCTs increased from 49.3 billion for 200405 to 53.9 billion for 200506; and are due to increase further to 64 billion in 200607 and 70 billion in 200708. Over the two years covered by this further allocation, PCTs will receive an average increase of 19.5 per cent.

Primary Care Trusts

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what sanctions are available to her should primary care trusts ignore guidance on the availability of medical treatment issued by her Department.

Jane Kennedy: The primary responsibility for implementing national guidance rests with the national health service at local level. Compliance with national guidance by NHS organisations will be considered by the Healthcare Commission during their review and performance assessment process.

Retinopathy

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people with diabetes were screened for retinopathy on the NHS in (a) 2002, (b) 2003 and (c) 2004.

Rosie Winterton: Figures from the national health service show that in 200304, 835,900 people with diabetes were screened for retinopathy and 1,076,400 in 200405. Figures for 200203 are not held centrally.

Retinopathy

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what quality assurance protocols are in place for retinopathy screening on the NHS;
	(2)  how much central funding is planned to be allocated for (a) an external and independent quality assurance programme and (b) an internal quality assurance programme for retinal screening.

Rosie Winterton: Quality assurance standards have been developed and piloted by the United Kingdom national screening committee's national screening programme for sight threatening retinopathy. A full list of the quality assurance standards can be found on the national screening programme's website at: www.nscretinopathy.org.uk
	There is no central funding for quality assurance at this time. The diabetes national service framework has been fully costed and revenue funding to deliver the national and locally-determined targets has been included in primary care trust allocations.

Ward Sisters

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make it her policy to employ ward sisters to improve cleanliness on hospital wards.

Jane Kennedy: It is already the Department's policy that ward sisters are responsible, within their wards, for agreeing cleaning standards, making sure standards are met and working with cleaning staff to help them fulfil their roles. Ward sisters are responsible for the whole of the clinical and operational management of wards, and ensuring the ward is clean is just one part of their very wide remit.

West Hertfordshire Hospitals Trust

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of (a) the financial situation of the West Herts Hospitals Trust, (b) the implications for clinical services of its financial situation and (c) proposals for ward closures at Watford hospitals; what plans she has to provide additional (i) financial and (ii) other support to the Trust; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: In line with Shifting The Balance Of Power strategic health authorities (SHAs) are responsible for the financial performance management of individual health organisations within their health economy. It is the responsibility of SHAs to deliver both overall financial balance for their local health communities and to ensure each and every body achieves financial balance.
	I am advised that the West Hertfordshire Hospital National Health Service Trust is working with primary care trusts to agree a recovery plan to ensure that it delivers national targets, meets the national standards for high quality health care and achieves its statutory duties. Decisions on how this is best delivered within the West Hertfordshire health and social care system is a local decision and thus Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire SHA is working with the local NHS to support them in this process and ensure that there is the management capacity to produce and deliver the recovery plan.
	I am also assured that the West Hertfordshire NHS Trust will continue to work hard to meet the standards laid down by the Healthcare Commission and that patient care will not be compromised.

Work-related Stress

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of work-related stress have been reported in her Department in each of the last three years; how much compensation was paid to employees in each year; how many work days were lost due to work-related stress in each year; and at what cost; what procedures have been put in place to reduce work-related stress; and at what cost; and if she will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The Department does not hold any data specifically on the number of reported cases of work-related stress. While the Department collects data on sickness absence, which includes stress, it is not possible to identify whether the cause of the stress related illness or anxiety was work related. It is not currently possible, therefore, to identify costs. However, the Department's recording systems are currently being developed in a way that will help identify which cases are potentially work-related at the time they are recorded. This will enable appropriate remedial action to be taken at the earliest opportunity.
	The Department's settlement or compensation payments are made in respect of Employment (Industrial) Tribunal cases, which address a number of inter-related circumstances, of which work-related stress is only one element. Compensation payments on the grounds of work-related stress are not recorded separately.
	The Department has a number of procedures already in place to help managers and staff to be aware of and reduce work-related stress and it is currently looking at further interventions.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Advantage West Midlands

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the projects submitted by the Rover Task Force to (a) Advantage West Midlands and (b) the Government Office of the West Midlands for possible funding; and how much has been requested to support each project.

Ian Pearson: Advantage West Midlands (AWM) is the vehicle which co-ordinates the funding directed by the MG Rover Task Force (MGRTF). The funding package is administered by other regional agencies such as the Learning and Skills Councils and Government Office for the West Midlands (GOWM).
	To date, the following requests have been made by the MGRTF to AWM:
	250,000 to reopen and man the MG Rover Distribution Centres to allow suppliers to recover the consignment stocks they own;
	150,000 to retain for 12 weeks a team of MGR Human Resources staff, principally to prepare records of employment for all former workers for use when seeking jobs;
	202,000 to pay the wages of apprentices while alternative employment for them is Found;
	40,000 to support for a major jobs fair in Birmingham.
	The MGRTF has also approved support of 10 million for the Advantage Transition Bridge Fund.
	The MGRTF has also approved proposals from regional agencies for funding which includes:
	Support for suppliers to retain employees. 3.7 million has been committed to date and is kept under review by the Task Force;
	Establishment of a Manufacturing Hub to try to ensure engineering manufacturing skills are not lost to the region by placing workers with such skills into posts requiring such skills and by incentivising businesses to recruit them;
	Includes post-recruitment retraining, and assistance with long-distance commuting. Up to a maximum of 3.6 million (dependent on take-up);
	Funding for former employees who wish to take up full-time vocational training (cash limited). Up to a maximum of 600,000.
	Funding to support potential start-up businesses amongst former employees. Up to a maximum of 900,000.
	Government Office for the West Midlands has received funding requests from the following projects to support the work of the MGRTF.
	
		
			 Project name ERDF/ESF requested 
		
		
			 Accelerate Extension 4.94 million 
			 Extension Cluster Action Plan l million 
			 Wage Subsidy Scheme 5 million ESF 
			 Grants for R and D Extension 1.5 million 
			 ESF Over 50s 1.50 million 
			 Road Infrastructure 5.1 million 
			 Regional Repositioning (now called 'Marketing the Region') 1.7 million 
			 High Tech Corridor Support 778,000 
			 Community Network SW 750,000 
			 Longbridge Masterplanning 750,000 
			 SME Internationalisation Extension Up to 1.4 million 
			 Sustainable A38 regeneration employment opportunities 500,000 
			 Innovation Networks Extension 430, 000 
		
	
	A number of projects are still under development by the MG Rover Task Force and regional partners.

Export Credits Guarantee Department

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much the Government have allocated to the Export Credits Guarantee Department in each of the last five years.

Ian Pearson: The cash generated for/(cash cost to) the Exchequer as a result of the Export Credits Guarantee Department's (ECGD's) operating activities, as published in schedule 4 to its Resource Accounts, in each of the last five years, is summarised in the following table. Figures in brackets represent Exchequer cash used to fund ECGD's Operating Activities; figures without brackets represent net cash receipts for the Exchequer, which include recoveries of past claims, interest paid by debtors in respect of those claims and premiums received in respect of ECGD's underwriting activities:
	
		 million
		
			  Cash generated/(used) 
		
		
			 19992000 (107.1) 
			 200001 (59.8) 
			 200102 24.3 
			 200203 327.8 
			 200304 546.7

Mail Delivery (North London)

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with Royal Mail on performance in delivery of mail in north London; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: DTI Ministers and officials meet with representatives from Royal Mail on a regular basis to discuss a wide range of issues, including delivery performance issues.
	First class quality of service for 200405 in the London N postcode area as a whole was:
	
		
			  Percentage 
		
		
			 Q1 88.4 
			 Q2 88.2 
			 Q3 92.4 
			 Q4 91.2 
			 Cumulative 90.2 
		
	
	This was against a target of 92.5 percent. Nationally Royal Mail recorded its highest Q4 performance ever this year with a 92.8 percent. service. Royal Mail's chairman and chief executive have assured Ministers that the company's board will continue to give quality of service top priority.

MG Rover

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish (a) the written records of conversations and (b) correspondence between (i) Ministers and (ii) officials from his Department and senior representatives of the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation that took place in the week commencing Monday 4 April.

Ian Pearson: It would be inappropriate to release this information at this time as it would breach commercial confidentiality.

Minimum Wage

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what penalties have been imposed on companies found paying their employees below the minimum wage.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Since the minimum wage was introduced in April 1999 the Inland Revenue have served 133 penalty notices on employers who they found were not paying their workers the minimum wage.
	A penalty notice imposes a financial penalty equal to twice the hourly amount of the adult minimum wage per worker for each day of non-payment of the minimum wage.

Post Offices (Hornsey and Wood Green)

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many post offices were in operation in Hornsey and Wood Green in each of the last 10 years.

Barry Gardiner: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. (POL) and the chief executive has been asked to reply direct to the hon. Member.

UK Trade and Investment

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what commercial services UK Trade and Investment provides to companies in relation to identifying potential agents in export markets.

Ian Pearson: UK Trade and Investment provides information on potential agents in two main ways. First, off the shelf lists of companies may be available in the UK, although the details may not have been recently validated. Secondly, our Overseas Market Introduction Service (OMIS) provides bespoke lists that can be validated at the request of the customer. Advice on the best ways of doing business in the market concerned is also included. It is for customers themselves to determine the best agent in the light of their individual needs and circumstances.

Unwanted Correspondence

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take steps to curb the growth of unsolicited postal applications for credit cards.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Consumers can register with the Mailing Preference Service to have their name and home address removed from lists used by the direct mail industry. On credit cards themselves, the Banking Code provides that customers' names and addresses will not be passed on to any company for marketing purposes unless permission is specifically given by that customer. In addition, since 31 May 2005, all credit card applications must have a separate document detailing the key features of the card. This will enable the consumer to make a more informed decision about the suitability of the product prior to the conclusion of any agreement.

Unwanted Correspondence

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with Royal Mail on adopting a service to restrict delivery of harmful or unwanted overseas correspondence; and what representations he has received on this matter.

Barry Gardiner: I have had no discussions with Royal Mail about this issue, nor received any representations.

Unwanted Correspondence

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  how much unwanted correspondence was withheld from delivery as a result of the co-operation of Royal Mail Holdings plc with the Mail Preference Service (MPS) in the last period for which figures are available; and from how many users of the MPS;
	(2)  how many users have been registered with the Mail Preference Service in each of the last 10 years.

Barry Gardiner: The Government do not hold this information. The Mailing Preference Service is a free service funded by the direct mail industry to enable consumers to have their names and addresses in the UK removed from or added to lists used by the industry.

Unwanted Correspondence

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what powers are available to limit the delivery of unwanted or harmful mail sent from (a) within the UK and (b) overseas.

Barry Gardiner: The Postal Services Act 2000 contains powers that prohibit the sending of certain articles by post and provide postal operators with various powers to detain postal packets, forward them to HM Customs and Excise, refuse transmission of packets, detain and open them, return to sender or forward to their destination or destroy or dispose of packets.
	Under section 89 of the Act a universal service provider may make a scheme that contains provisions prohibiting the transmission of certain articles by post.